‘Hocus Pocus 2’: Release Date, Trailer, and Everything We Know

Disney+ is about to put a spell on its subscribers. Nearly 30 years after the Sanderson sisters first wreaked havoc on the sleepy town of Salem, the trio of witches are about to once again run amuck when the Black Flame Candle is lit and the long-awaited Hocus Pocus sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, premieres on Disney+ this month as part of the streamer’s Hallowstream celebration. 

Enjoying a less than stellar theatrical release in 1993, Hocus Pocus followed the tale of the Sanderson sisters – Winifred, Sarah, and Mary – and their quest of immortality. After having been executed in the 17th century, they are brought back to life when Mex Dennison lights the Black Flame Candle, forcing him, his younger sister Dani, and his crush Alison to team up with some unlikely allies to defeat the witches once and for all before they can suck the lives out of all the children in Salem. In the decades since its release, the film has risen to become a cult classic and a staple movie for the Halloween season, and with it came growing demand for a sequel. Following years of rumors, Disney announced during the Disney’s Investor Day event in December 2020 that it officially greenlit Hocus Pocus 2.

Now, 29 years after Hocus Pocus first had its theatrical debut, fans are about to return to Salem, where the Sanderson sisters are once again on a quest for immortality. With the countdown officially on here’s everything to know about the upcoming Hocus Pocus sequel, including how to watch the film’s premiere, the trailer, and which original cast members are returning and who will be missing. You can subscribe to Disney+ by clicking here.

Release date and time

Hocus Pocus 2 will release just in time for the start of spooky season. On Friday, Sept. 30 at 3 a.m. ET (12 a.m. PT), the Sanderson sisters will officially fly back into Salem to once again wreak havoc when the film is made available for streaming on Disney+. It is not set to have a theatrical release.

Amid the release, Disney+ will also host plenty of content to get fans ready for the sequel. Disney+ is already home to the original 1993 film, meaning subscribers can fit a viewing in before Hocus Pocus 2 arrives. On Friday, the streamer is also set to make the Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash special available for streaming.

Plot

After Dani, Max, Allison, and Binx defeated the Sanderson sisters in 1993, trio of new characters will find themselves going up against the sinister witches in Hocus Pocus 2. Per Disney+’s official synopsis, “it’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters who were executed for practicing witchcraft, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to figure out how to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before midnight on All Hallow’s Eve.”

‘Hocus Pocus 2’ Trailer

Ahead of the Sept. 30 premiere, Disney on June 28 released the first full-length trailer for Hocus Pocus 2. The trailer opened with a trio of girls – Becca, Cassie, and Izzy – preparing to celebrate one of their birthdays with the typical “birthday ritual” of a scary movie marathon, though the celebrations came with an ominous warning from a shopkeeper, who tells them, “legend has it it’s on the 16th birthday that a witch gets her powers.” Later that night, as two of the girls read a spell, the ground splits and the Black Flame Candle is lit, with Winifred announcing, “Lock up your children. Yes, Salem, we’re back!”

Who’s Returning from the original Hocus Pocus?

Any Hocus Pocus sequel wouldn’t be complete without at least a few of the original cast members, and fans of the 1993 film will be happy to know that a number of the original actors are tapped to reprise their roles in Hocus Pocus 2. Early on it was confirmed that Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy would be reprising their roles as Winifred Sanderson, Sara Sanderson, and Mary Sanderson 29 years after their first picked up their broomsticks. Disney has since released a number of images and clips teasing the trip back in action.

The Sanderson sisters are not the only ones returning, though. Doug Jones is confirmed to be reprising his role as Billy Butcherson, Winifred’s zombified ex-lover who notably chose to side with the kids in Hocus Pocus and help put an end to the Sanderson sisters.

What original cast members aren’t returning?

Unfortunately, not every original cast member will back. The four characters at the heart of the 1993 film – Dani and Max Dennison, Allison Watts, and Thackeray Binx – are not attached to the movie. Actress Thora Birch, who starred as Dani, was originally slated to reprise her role, though scheduling conflicts ultimately prevented that. It was later confirmed that Jason Marsden, who starred as black cat Binx, also would not be returning, with Hocus Pocus 2 instead introducing a new black cat, Cobweb, to honor Binx. Omri Katz and Vinessa Shaw are also not returning as Max and Allison, with Katz having told Entertainment Weekly in August through his representative, Nery Lemus, “People have been asking, and unfortunately, I’m not in it. I would have loved to be involved. I feel bad for the original fan base saying we aren’t because I’m sure they wanted to see us reprise our role.” Katz added of the sequel, “I think it’ll be good for everyone who loved the original! I hope fans will go see it. I know I will.”

New Cast

When the Sanderson sisters return to Salem, they will be seeing a ton of fresh faces. The full cast of Hocus Pocus features a ton of actors new to the beloved franchise. Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, and Belissa Escobedo star as Becca, Cassie, and Izzy, with recent Emmy-winner Hannah Waddingham, Tony Hale, Sam Richardson, Juju Brener, Froy Gutierrez, Taylor Paige Henderson, and Nina Kitchen also attached. It has also been confirmed that RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Ginger Minj, Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté, and Kahmora Hall will portray drag versions of Winifred, Mary, and Sarah.

Adam Shankman isn’t directing

Also not returning is Adam Shankman. Shankman directed the original film, and while he is attached to Hocus Pocus 2 as a producer, who is not set to direct, a role that has instead been handed to Anne Fletcher, who is most well-known for directing romantic comedies such as The Proposal and 27 Dresses.

“As heartbroken as I am that I won’t be able to direct my friends Bette, Sarah Jessica and Kathy in what is sure to be nothing short of a major event for Disney+ due to scheduling conflicts, I couldn’t be more pleased to be handing over the reins to Anne, who has brought so much laughter and joy into people’s lives with her previous work,” Shankman said in a press release. “I am still grateful and proud to help shepherd this ingenious project as executive producer alongside producer Lynn Harris, whom I have loved and admired as a colleague and friend since she helped get me the job choreographing Boogie Nights.”

Will there be a musical number?

Perhaps one of the most well-known scene from the original 1993 cult classic Hocus Pocus movie was the musical number that took place. As the Sanderson sisters worked to hunt down and capture Dani, Max, and Allison, they interrupted a Halloween party that the parents of Salem were attending, putting them all under a spell as Winifred took the stage to sing “I Put a Spell on You.” Thankfully, fans can expect more musical numbers in the sequel.

Teasing the sequel during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live! in February, Parker confirmed, “Yes, there will be a number!” But it seems that fans may be treated to more than just one musical moment, with Parker adding, “Of course there will be a number – a number or two.”

During Disney’s upfronts presentation in May, the company also gave fans a sneak peek featuring the Sanderson sisters covering “The Bitch Is Back” by Elton John.

Where was ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ filmed?

While Hocus Pocus 2 will take place in Salem, Massachusetts where the Sanderson lived centuries ago and where they were defeated in 1993, the movie wasn’t actually filmed in the city renowned for all things Halloween. Hocus Pocus 2 actually filmed in Rhode Island. The original 1993 movie was filmed in Massachusetts and Hollywood.