It’s all just a bunch of hocus pocus. The movie “Hocus Pocus,” that is.
Disney announced Thursday that the 1993 cult classic is back with a sequel, debuting in 2022 on its subscription streaming service, Disney+. “Hocus Pocus 2” will star the original Sanderson sisters, played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, in a modern-day Salem. This time, three young women conjure up the sisters, and it’s a race to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking Halloween havoc.
The film begins production this fall, with Anne Fletcher taking the helm as director. Fletcher, who also directed romcoms “The Proposal” and “27 Dresses,” replaces “Hairspray” director Adam Shankman, who stepped down from the production due to scheduling conflicts.
“As heart-broken 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,” Shankman said in a statement.
“Now more than ever, people need to laugh. We should be laughing every day, and there is so much fun to be had with these three unbelievable women playing delicious characters from such a beloved film,” said Fletcher. “This is a movie for everyone, from the fans who grew up with the first film to the next generation of viewers, and I can’t wait to get started.”
This isn’t the first time Midler, Parker and Najimy have reprised their spooky roles. The trio reunited last year in a virtual fund-raising special called “In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover.” On the star-studded guest list for the special were Meryl Streep, Bella Hadid and, of course, Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.
