Disney finally dropped “Hocus Pocus 2” a whopping 29 years after the original hit the screen. The gang’s all back, with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy reprising their roles as the Sanderson sisters, and Doug Jones back as Billy Bones. They even brought in some fresh faces – Sam Richardson, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Tony Hale and Hannah Waddingham.
Honestly, the sequel didn’t quite cast its spell on us like the first one did. But seeing Midler, Parker, and Najimy together again was a total blast. We were hoping for a bit more, though. It would’ve been awesome to dive deeper into the Sanderson sisters’ backstory, learn where that spell book came from, get some info on the mysterious “mother,” and maybe see some cameos from the ’93 child actors. And why not throw in the iconic tunes “I Put a Spell on You” and “Come Little Children” for that extra dose of nostalgia?
Despite all that, the original “Hocus Pocus” from ’93 will always hold a special place in our movie-loving hearts.
Synopsis
“Hocus Pocus 2” kicks off with an extra scoop of Salem’s enchanting history, unveiling the youthful adventures of the Sanderson sisters as teenage troublemakers back in 1653. Fast forward to Halloween night in 1993, when these witches faced their first defeat. This time, we’re introduced to Becca, Izzy, and Cassie, a trio of modern-day high school girls living in Salem. However, Cassie’s recent focus on her boyfriend has strained their friendship. With just Izzy and Becca left, armed with a mystical candle from Gilbert’s magic shop, they embark on Becca’s peculiar yet surprisingly handy annual birthday ritual.
Much like Max Dennison before them, the teens accidentally resurrect the sisters while trying to celebrate. The story unfolds from there, revolving around their unexpected encounter with the Sanderson sisters and the chaos that ensues.
10 Fun facts about Hocus Pocus 2
(1) The musical sequence features several clothes that are similar to those from the original movie including Max’s mother’s Madonna costume.
(2) A.W. Jantha published a sequel book in 2018 that focused on Max and Allison’s daughter Poppy.
(3) Doug Jones mentioned that the wig he uses as Billy Butcherson is the same one he used in the first movie on Michael Rosenbaum’s “Inside Of You” podcast.
(4) When Winnie casts a spell on Billy Butcherson, the stitching reads “Kill.”
(5) The tan bodies with white dots and stripes and their extraordinarily long black and yellow legs identify the spiders that assault the Salem villagers in the beginning as Golden Silk Orb Weavers. They are commonly called golden silk orb-weavers, golden orb-weavers, giant wood spiders, or banana spiders. However, as is typical with most spiders, there is little real danger from an encounter with the golden silk spider. The spider will bite only if held or pinched, and the bite itself will produce only localized pain with a slight redness, which quickly goes away. On the whole, the bite is much less severe than a bee sting.
(6) In keeping with the original film, the three sisters put on a thrilling stage performance of Blondie’s One Way Or Another.
(7) Mary’s lips is twisted to the right in the first movie. It is to the left this time. Winifred slaps Mary, causing her mouth to shift to the other side, while Kathy Najimy explains that this is because it is difficult for her to perform the action on the original side at this time.
(8) Thora Birch who played Danni in the original Hocus Pocus could not participate in the sequel. She explains “by the time they got around to filming, I was already on something else.”
(9) Despite the numerous references to the first film, Midler, Najimy, Parker, and Jones are the only original cast members to return for the sequel.
(10) The new movie also completes some unfinished business in Billy Butcherson’s (Doug Jones) narrative by showing that they didn’t have a romantic relationship per se; rather, they just exchanged one kiss.
