‘Hocus Pocus’ Reunion to Star John Stamos as the ‘Handsome Devil’

Hocus Pocus stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are not the only ones participating in a special virtual reunion event to raise funds for the New York Restoration Project on Friday. Full House star John Stamos will participate, playing a character appropriately named the “handsome devil,” Midler revealed on Late Night with Seth Meyers Wednesday night. Midler also said this week the long-gestating Hocus Pocus sequel is in the works.

The virtual reunion will include other members of the Hocus Pocus cast, including Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw, and Doug Jones. Other stars who signed on to make appearances include Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, Sarah Silverman, Martin Short, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, Anjelah Johnson, Kenan Thompson, Billy Crystal, Billy Eichner, and Alex Moffat. Stamos will play “the Handsome Devil,” Midler said. The Hollywood legend later added that they put “a lot of creativity into it because when people come to our in-person event, they expect a real blowout.” They hope to give fans “something that would be memorable.”

The In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover event was filmed for the New York Restoration Project’s virtual fundraising event called Hulaween. The event starts Friday at 8 p.m. ET and tickers cost $10, with all proceeds going to the fund. The event will not be rebroadcast, and tickets are available at NYRPShop.org.

Midler’s famous Winifred Sanderson teeth will make an appearance, but they had to make a new set. The pair she wore in the film broke after Midler started wearing them for special occasions, she said. She also confirmed all three actresses who play the Sanderson sisters filmed in the same room. They made sure to follow coronavirus safety protocols. “The thing that was the weirdest part was 27 years after we finished this picture, and I haven’t seen those girls together in 27 years. I’ve seen them many times, but always solo. It was exactly the same,” Midler told Meyers, notes Entertainment Tonight. “It was like.yesterday. It was like we were eating in the cafeteria. We fell right into our old characters.”

Earlier this week, Midler confirmed Parker, Najimy, and herself will all be in the Hocus Pocus sequel. The project has been in the works for some time, with Adam Shankman hired to direct and Jen D’Angelo writing. The film will be released directly to Disney+. When they were asked if they were interested, “all of us said yes,” Midler told Good Day New York.