Everything we know about the ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ movie so far

They say some legends never die, and Hocus Pocus has managed to remain an eternal Halloween film favourite since its release all the way back in 1993.

Now, almost 30 years since the 17th century Sanderson sisters were resurrected with the lighting of that black flame candle, the terrible trio are set to descend on Salem once again, and this time, they’re out for revenge.

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are reprising the roles of Winifred, Sarah and Mary Sanderson for a long-awaited Disney+ Original sequel filled with magic, mayhem and misadventure.

So, what do we know so far?

The plot

Though their wicked plans were foiled at the end of the original Hocus Pocus, these three witches are the living dead truth that you can’t kill a bad thing… for long.

“Legend has it, it’s on the 16th birthday that a witch gets her powers.”

Now, hundreds of years later, a group of teenagers are about to unwittingly relight that black flame candle with an incantation that hauls the Sanderson sisters right back into the land of the living.

This time around, the trio of high school students — played by Belissa Escobedo (The Baker and the Beauty), Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl, 2021), and Lilia Buckingham (Crown Lake) — must race against time to thwart the witches’ evil plans.

While most other details remain shrouded in mystery, it has been confirmed that Kahmora Hall, Ginger Minj, and Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté have been cast to play an all-dragged-up version of the Sanderson sisters. Could this mean we’re in store for an even more rousing rendition of “I Put a Spell on You” this time ‘round? Time will tell…

The cast and crew

In development since 2019 and in production since 2021, we’ve been slowly but surely getting more and more breadcrumbs about who’s going to be involved in this highly anticipated sequel.

Disney+’s Hocus Pocus 2 Updated Cast List Includes Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler And Morehttps://t.co/NsONuh1tRo#HocusPocus2 #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/XWnVuU7uvv

— Hocus Pocus 2 (@HocusPocus2US) April 24, 2022

Reprising his role as Winifred’s zombie ex-beau, Billy Butcherson, is Dough Jones – a blast from the past that just can’t manage to stay dead. Sam Richardson (Senior Year) joins the cast as owner of the Salem Magic Shoppe, and Sex Education’s Hannah Waddingham has also been confirmed to make an appearance.

The strong female presence on-screen is mirrored behind the scenes as well, with Anne Fletcher (The Proposal) taking Kenny Ortega’s space in the director’s chair. Jen D’Angelo (Workaholics) has crafted the script, while Lynn Harris (The Shallows) is one of the producers, alongside Adam Shankman and original producers Steven Haft and David Kirschner.

The trailer

Though it’s only one minute and twenty seconds in length, this quick little teaser trailer has provided us with more than enough to amp up excitement levels.

The release date

Thankfully, we’ve only got to wait three short months before we’re in the throes of Halloween season and we can guiltlessly indulge our spooky side with the Hocus Pocus sequel. Landing on Disney+ on Friday, 30 September, we’re counting down the days already.