Our emotions are running amuck (amuck, amuck), because Hocus Pocus 2 is in the works at Disney+. The long-awaited and wished-for sequel to the 1993 cult classic Hocus Pocus has not only been greenlit, according to Collider, but it’s already been set into motion with the assignment of a scriptwriter. Even better? Word has it the follow-up film is intent on finding a way to bring back original stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy — aka the Sanderson sisters.
Here’s what we know so far. Jen D’Angelo, who acted as a writer and co-producer on 2017’s Workaholics and a supervising producer on this year’s Happy Together, has been tasked with creating a script for the sequel. She’s reportedly also been asked to find a way to incorporate Midler (Winfred), SJP (Sarah) and Najimy (Mary) — a tricky ask, considering their fate at the end of Hocus Pocus. At present, none of the original stars have signed on, which certainly doesn’t mean they won’t. As recently as September, Parker admitted it was “hard to ignore the deafening cry for a sequel” to the ’90s favorite. Midler and Najimy have also expressed an interest in rebooting the beloved movie.
Fortunately, there’s still plenty of time to line all of that up. Disney+ launches Nov. 12, true, but Hocus Pocus 2 is still in the very early stages of development.
It goes without saying that, in addition to the Sanderson sisters, fans would really love to see the return of the original’s other iconic characters: Max (Omri Katz), Dani (Thora Birch), Allison (Vinessa Shaw) and Binx (Sean Murray). Maybe even Ernie, er, “Ice” (Larry Bagby) and Jay (Tobias Jelinek). We’re sure D’Angelo has a good hold on the script already but, if not, we have ideas.
The most obvious option, of course, would be the story from the novel Hocus Pocus & The All-New Sequel. In it, Max and Allison are married and have a 17-year-old daughter named Poppy, who is the main focus. To impress a girl she likes, Poppy goes to the Sanderson house and re-lights the very same Black Flame Candle her dad ignited all those years ago.
Or, more realistically, Max and Allison didn’t end up together. Maybe one or both are divorced with their own kids, and somehow the kids become friends through their own Black Flame Candle shenanigans. In this version, we imagine Dani would be the zany aunt constantly warning all of the kids about the inevitable return of the Sanderson sisters to seek revenge. When it actually happens as she predicted, she becomes the badass hero we all know she was destined to become.
Long story short? D’Angelo has no shortage of options when it comes to reworking this ’90s classic. And, personally, we’re going to rub our lucky rat tail (metaphorically, at least) and hope that the one she lands on includes the OG Sanderson and Dennison families.
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