Hocus Pocus 2 — release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know (2024)

Hocus Pocus 2 — release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know (1)

Hocus Pocus 2 will see the cult 1990s Halloween film finally getting the sequel it deserves. We're now just days away from the movie's release, as it hits Disney Plus just in time for Halloween.

First revealed in May 2021, Hocus Pocus 2 will see Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy returning to play the iconic Sanderson sisters nearly 30 years on from the original movie in this Disney Plus exclusive sequel.

These three wonderfully wicked sisters are poised to wreak havoc on the town of Salem, Massachusetts on All Hallow's Eve once more, and it's now up to a new group of kids to try and put a stop to their scheme all over again.

Here's everything we know about Hocus Pocus 2 so far...

Hocus Pocus 2 release date

Hocus Pocus 2 will arrive on Disney Plus on Friday, September 30, in plenty of time for the Halloween season.

Disney has released two posters for the new movie so far. Check them both out below:

Hocus Pocus 2 cast

Hocus Pocus 2 — release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know (4)

Of course, you can't have a Hocus Pocus movie without the Sanderson sisters, so it's good to see that Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy are set to reprise their roles as Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson.

Doug Jones (The Shape of Water, What We Do in the Shadows) will also make a return as Billy Butcherson. Billy was Winifred's undead ex-boyfriend who helped Max, Dani, Allison and Binx defeat the sisters the first time around.

Entertainment Weekly shared a still from the movie giving us our first look at Doug in costume for the new movie, set against a seriously spooky backdrop.

Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl), Lilia Buckingham (Dirt), and Belissa Escobedo (American Horror Stories) will also feature as Becca, Cassie, and Izzy, a trio of high school students who incite the wrath of the Sanderson sisters.

Hocus Pocus 2 — release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know (5)

Emmy-winning actress Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), Tony Hale (Veep), Sam Richardson (The Tomorrow War), Juju Brener (Vanquish), Froyan Gutierrez (Teen Wolf), Taylor Paige Henderson and Nina Kitchen round out the cast. Thora Birch isn't reprising the role of Dani Dennison from the original.

Who is directing Hocus Pocus 2?

Step Up's Anne Fletcher is at the helm of the Hocus Pocus sequel. When the movie was revealed, she said: "I am beyond thrilled to be involved in the sequel to a film that is as beloved as Hocus Pocus.

"Fans around the world have embraced these characters and have made this film a Halloween tradition whose popularity continues to grow, and how lucky am I to be back at Disney with these three extraordinarily talented ladies in the iconic roles they created, as well as our fabulous new additions to the cast?"

Hocus Pocus 2 plot

Hocus Pocus 2 is set in present-day Salem, 29 years after Max inadvertently resurrected the Sanderson sisters by lighting the Black Flame Candle, and they're out for revenge for their execution once again.

With the witches back threatening to wreak a whole new kind of havoc on the town, high schoolers Becca, Cassie, and Izzy are tasked with putting a stop to the ravenous witches' plans before midnight on Halloween.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Fletcher revealed that we'll be learning more about the Sandersons' origins in 1600s New England in the opening sequence.

"The opening sequence of the movie, we get some history of our witches and Billy. We get a little kiss — pardon the pun — of the Billy aspect of it and the world that they lived in and what happened to the witches. I always missed that in the first one. Like, what are the witches the way they are?", she said, going on to tease "some wonderful surprised in the mythology" of the trio and confirming that their origin story intertwines with the new trio of teenagers.

Is there a trailer?

The full Hocus Pocus 2 trailer came along in September. In it, you can see the Sanderson sisters expelled from Salem, before they are awakened by our new cast 370 years later. From then on, it gives us a taste of the chaos the Sandersons are about to wreak in the sequel.

Disney also shared a teaser for the movie back in June. It sees Becca and Izzy lighting a Black Flame Candle and unleashing the Sanderson sisters for another night of chaos.

The witches arrive in dramatic fashion, with Winifred proclaiming "Lock up your children! Yes, Salem, we're back!" Sounds like our new heroes are in for a world of trouble.

Is Hocus Pocus 2 on Netflix?

Unfortunately, Hocus Pocus 2 won't be available on Netflix. As it's a Disney Plus exclusive, you'll only be able to stream the new sequel on Disney's own stream service.

If you're planning to rewatch the original film, the first Hocus Pocus movie is also available to stream in the same place.

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Hocus Pocus 2 — release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know (6)

Martin Shore

Staff Writer at WhatToWatch.com

Martin is a Staff Writer with WhatToWatch.com, where he produces a variety of articles focused on the latest and greatest films and TV shows.

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, The Witcher, Doctor Who, and Ghosts. When he’s not watching TV or at the movies, Martin’s probably still in front of a screen playing the latest video games, reading, or watching the NFL.

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Hocus Pocus 2 — release date, trailer, cast, plot and everything we know (2024)

FAQs

What is the storyline of Hocus Pocus 2? ›

Why are parents upset about Hocus Pocus 2? ›

“The whole movie is based on witches harvesting children for blood sacrifices.” The mom added that while "everybody thinks it's fake and innocent," the characters in the film "could be casting any type of spell that they want to." "Anything could be coming through that TV screen into your home," she added.

Why is the ending of Hocus Pocus 2 so sad? ›

The somber moment is the film's greatest lesson. Winifred asks Becca and her "coven" to do a spell to reunite her with Mary and Sarah. Becca, Izzy and Cassie succeed but sadly, it just means Winifred dies to join her sisters. Winifred lets out one last, "Sisters!" before vanquishing.

Why wasn t Max and Allison in Hocus Pocus 2? ›

Fletcher (via EW) explained that bringing back Max and Allison would have made it hard for Hocus Pocus 2 to stay on track while exploring so many new figures and storylines, with quick cameos also being decided against.

How were the Sanderson sisters killed? ›

The townspeople, led by the Binx's parents, arrived and seized the sisters. On that same night, the three witches were hanged by the Salem townsfolk.

Why is her smile backwards in Hocus Pocus 2? ›

Najimy said there's a simple explanation for the change. “It's on the other side mainly because it's so hard for me to do it on the side I did it on 30 years ago,” the actor told Entertainment Weekly.

Why was Hocus Pocus 2 so bad? ›

Overall, the main 2 problems were that the Sanderson sisters no longer felt like a threat and that the story was boring and incomplete.

What is inappropriate in Hocus Pocus 2? ›

Like the original, the witchy sequel is family-friendly overall but does have magical violence, name-calling, and gross-out scenes, mostly involving a decapitated zombie.

Why is Hocus Pocus inappropriate? ›

While the Halloween violence is minimal, there are numerous sexual innuendos in this movie that are shocking for a movie that seems to be aimed for kids. Examples include the 16 year old brother snuggling a pillow and pretending it's his crush and numerous references to him being a "virgin".

What does the end scene of Hocus Pocus 2 mean? ›

As Cobweb jumps onto one specific shelf, he reveals a box labeled “BF Candle #2,” indicating that Gilbert had one more Black Flame Candle stashed at the magic shop. This tease is similar to Book's eye opening up in the end credits scene of Hocus Pocus (1993), suggesting the Sanderson Sisters could be resurrected again.

What kills witches in Hocus Pocus? ›

After luring them to the local high school, the children trap the witches in a pottery kiln and burn them alive. But while the children are celebrating their victory, the witches' curse revives them again.

Does Hocus Pocus 2 have a secret ending? ›

While the sequel appears self-contained, there is an extra surprise after the credits that opens the door for another return for the Sanderson Sisters. "I think you can never fully get rid of the Sanderson Sisters," Belissa Escobedo told EW.

Who is Max's crush in Hocus Pocus? ›

Allison Watts is one of the tritagonists of the 1993 Halloween comedy-fantasy film, Hocus Pocus. She is the crush and later girlfriend of Max Dennison.

Why is Dani not in Hocus Pocus 2? ›

Although Birch wasn't included in the sequel, she says “there were three options we had for how to bring Dani back, all of which I was excited by.” However, “by the time they got around to filming, I was already on something else,” she continues, explaining that she was working on another project.

Why wasn't Binx in Hocus Pocus 2? ›

The original movie actor explained why he and several other stars did not return for Hocus Pocus 2, citing the sequel's need to simply move onto a new story involving the Sanderson Sisters. In Murray's case, Thackery Binx also died at the end of the first movie.

What is the story of the Hocus Pocus and the All New sequel? ›

When Halloween celebrations don't quite go as planned, it's a race against time as Poppy and her friends fight to save her family and all of Salem from the witches' latest vile scheme. POPPY DENNISON | An introspective aspiring photographer, seventeen-year-old Poppy isn't exactly Halloween's biggest fan.

What is the conflict of Hocus Pocus 2? ›

Two young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world.

Why did people hate Hocus Pocus 2? ›

Conveniently overlooking that the Sanderson Sisters actually exploded at the end of the first film, it ignores that fact and brings them back for the exact same story. But without the humour or the thrills. Or characters that we even care for. It's just bland and doesn't evoke any sense of nostalgia or fun.

What happens to the Sanderson sisters at the end of Hocus Pocus 2? ›

As an act of mercy, Becca and her friends decide to use one more spell to reunite the sisters, turning Winifred into dust along with Billy Butcherson. The movie ends there with the Sanderson sisters gone for good.

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