Grab your candy corn, because the witching hour is nearly upon us! There's no doubt that excitement is bubbling and brewing for Hocus Pocus 2, the long awaited sequel to a Halloween season staple. Pure magical nostalgia this way comes, and ahead of the movie's Disney+ premiere on September 30, Hocus Pocus Guide has shared with us a special behind-the-scenes clip. In just under two minutes, the clip features interviews with all three of the films' stars, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, as well as the director Anne Fletcher and other members of the cast.
Almost 30 years ago, the three Sanderson Sisters took to the skies in search of children's souls. The 17th century witches were portrayed by such a hilariously iconic trio that Hocus Pocus instantly became a Halloween season classic among audiences in 1993. Now, in 2022, writer and producer Jen D'Angelo (Workaholics) resurrected these lovably vile witches with the help of a new generation of Salem residents, and a brand-new screenplay that allows us a peek into their backstory. This brand-new BTS clip shares with fans the cast's own passion for reprising their original roles, and relights that Black Flame Candle that still flickers and burns inside us all each spooky season.
In the clip we see Midler sat down for an interview (we will summon a full documentary to be released if we have to) with BTS shots of the three sisters in full witchy garb. "As soon as we walked on the set, the dynamic between the three of us was exactly the same as it was 30 years ago. It's as if these characters lived with us for the last 30 years," she said, later adding that it was a "thrill" to be able to return to the role of Winifred Sanderson. Najimy, who plays Mary Sanderson, agreed that stepping "back into those boots" was no difficult feat, and while sequels can sometimes fall flat, it's clear from the trailers that 30 years apart from these roles haven't dulled the sharp wit of the three actresses.
In Hocus Pocus 2, the Sandersons find themselves accidentally resurrected from the grave by three fresh souls — sorry, faces — Izzy (Belissa Escobedo), Becca (Whitney Peak) and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham). Three decades after the shenanigans of the first film, somehow all the elements align, and a new Black Flame Candle is lit under the light of a full moon, on Halloween night, by virgins. In the clip, Escobedo praises the sequel for doing "really well picking up where the first left off." Peak adds that Hocus Pocus 2 leaves the high school romance of the first movie in the early '90s, and is instead "a movie of friendship," and best friends love summoning ancient witches from beyond the veil. Najimy had high praise for her new co-stars, saying "these women are so talented and added such a great layer to this whole experience."
If anything, the reel reaffirms what fans already know: Hocus Pocus 2 is going to be wicked fun. As Parker says in the clip, the original movie "has become so meaningful in people's lives," but it won't rest on its laurels. HP2 isn't a scene-by-scene remake, but "pays homage to the original movie while being its own thing," Sam Richardson says. Richardson, along with Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham and Tony Hale (Arrested Development), represent the cast of new faces that inhabit Disney's Salem this time around. The director, Fletcher, also wanted to share with us the origin story of the Sanderson Sisters, which is where Waddingham's character comes into play. With Doug Jones' Billy Butcherson back in the game as well, it seems fans may finally get the answers to a few questions Hocus Pocus left us with, like how did Book come to be?
Before Hocus Pocus 2 premieres on Disney+ on September 30, check out the behind-the-scenes clip below!