Will Hocus Pocus 2 Live Up to the Hype?

Staff Writer: Kelsey Wink

Many a witch’s moon has passed since Hocus Pocus made its debut in 1993. The film became an instant Disney Halloween classic, thanks to the trio of frighteningly funny witches known as the Sanderson Sisters.

After years of clamoring for a sequel, fans will finally have their wish granted when Hocus Pocus 2 releases on Disney+ on September 30, 2022. Fans are anxious to see if the long-awaited film can live up to the contagious magic of the original as the film releases today.

Hocus Pocus 2 follows a trio of high school best friends – Becca, Cassie, and Izzy – who find themselves battling against the Sanderson Sisters after they accidentally light the Black Flame Candle and bring the sinister witches back to life on Halloween night. The girls must figure out a way to stop witches from wreaking havoc on the town as they still seek youth and immortality.

Many fans have been waiting for the prophesying return of the Sanderson Sisters and the expectations are high for the film. Will Disney deliver the endearing sequel that spellbound fans have been hoping for? Or will they be shrouded in disillusionment with the film’s anticipatory sequel?

The original Sanderson Sisters are back! For years, the return of everybody’s favorite spooky trio wasn’t a sure thing. But rest assured, Bette Midler as Winifred ‘Winnie’ Sanderson, Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson, and Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson will all be returning to haunt the land of the living once more.

Even though the successful return of these beloved characters is exciting, it’s also important for the writers to develop a script that allows the characters to remind us of why we fell in love with them in the first place.

There’s no place in the United States that lays claims to a more rich and deep-rooted history of witches and magic than Salem, Massachusetts. Hocus Pocus 2 needs to return to the historically haunted town where viewers can once again immerse themselves in the wonders of witchcraft and trickery.

Fortunately, the film’s trailer revealed a magical return to modern-day Salem, which dispelled any fear of the plot taking outside of this spooky town. However, can the sequel’s familiar location best the original’s spooky and bewitched galore?

With luck, there will be a musical number that will put a spell on all its viewers. The original Hocus Pocus is widely treasured, but perhaps the all-time favorite scene of the film is the Sanderson Sisters performing their bewitching rendition of “I Put a Spell on You.” The Sanderson Sisters hope to deliver a similarly spell-binding number in Hocus Pocus 2 but will the new musical sequence outmatch its predecessor? Will Sarah’s haunting, catchy tune “Come Little Children” make a return too?

And what about a wicked sense of humor? Hocus Pocus wouldn’t have been a fan-loved Halloween classical without its witch’s brew of comedy. The movie was filled with hilarious moments that left kids and adults alike laughing their heads off.

In one scene, Billy, the zombie, cuts free the stitches that have sealed his mouth shut for centuries. He lets loose an immediate flurry of insults toward his ex-lover, Winnie, who bound him to his undead fate: “Wench! Trollop! You buck-toothed, mop-riding, firefly from hell!”

The sequel needs to deliver on laughs. Its comedic scenes need to keep both parents and their children tuned to the film’s quirky antics.

More importantly, Hocus Pocus 2 needs to feel like Halloween. Tis’ the autumn season. There is something unique when the autumnal magic takes hold around the year’s spookiest holiday. It may be hard to explain, but you can hear it in the crunch of fallen leaves and smell it with the taste of apple cider.

Hopefully, viewers will feel it in every frame of Hocus Pocus 2 and it will be every bit as spellbinding and bewitching as the original.

Hocus Pocus 2 Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idc0EOmKr30&t=1s