'Hocus Pocus' Returning to Theaters Just in Time for Halloween

'Hocus Pocus' is heading back to theaters for one-night only on Oct. 18.

By Allison Schonter

Someone has seemingly lit the Black Flame Candle, because the Sanderson sisters are about to be resurrected on the big screen! More than 30 years after Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy first grabbed their broomsticks and dusted off their spell book, Hocus Pocus is returning to theaters for a special one-night showing in October.

The beloved 1993 cult classic, which is available to stream on Disney+, will return to theaters for one-night only on Friday, Oct. 18. Fandango confirmed the exciting news on X by asking fans, "Ready for the Black Flame Candle to be lit again?" The official Walt Disney Studios account also shared the news, posting, "Come, we fly! Hocus Pocus returns to theaters October 18."

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(Photo: BUENA VISTA PICTURES/ANDREW COOPER)

Directed by Kenny Ortega, Hocus Pocus stars Midler, Parker, and Najimy as Winfred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson. 300 years after they were hanged on Halloween night 1963, they are resurrected when Salem, Massachusetts teenager Max (Omri Katz) lights the Black Flame Candle. Together with his little sister Dani (Thora Birch) and school crush Allison (Vinessa Shaw), as well as Binx the cat (Jason Marsden) and zombie Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones), he must stop the Sanderson sisters from draining the life force of Salem's children before the sun rises.

Hocus Pocus was not a critical or commercial success when it hit theaters on July 16, 1993. The film not only received mostly mixed reviews, but also bombed at the box office during its initial run. However, in the decades since its release, the movie has become a cult classic and a beloved addition to annual Halloween movie lineups, so much so that in 2022, Disney released the anticipated sequel Hocus Pocus 2, bringing back the Sanderson sisters, who are unwittingly resurrected a second time by a group of Salem teenagers, portrayed by Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, and Lilia Buckingham.

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Hocus Pocus 2 became the most-watched original film for Disney+ at the time and also broke records on the Nielsen Top 10 streaming charts when it earned an opening weekend of 2.7 billion minutes watched. Catapulting on its success, Walt Disney Pictures president Sean Bailey confirmed in June 2023 that Hocus Pocus 3 was in development. Little more information on the film has been shared since, with Midler stating in July, "I haven't seen the script."

Hocus Pocus, Hocus Pocus 2, and the 2018 feature-length special Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash are available to stream on Disney+. Hocus Pocus returns to theaters on Oct. 18. The film will also air nearly two dozen times throughout October on Freeform as part of the channel's annual 31 Nights of Halloween programming.

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