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Hocus Pocus 2 release date, trailer, cast and more

Continuing the spooky tale from the popular '90s movie, with all three Sanderson Sisters returning, what is the Hocus Pocus 2 release date?

Hocus Pocus 2 release date

What is the Hocus Pocus 2 release date? I put a spell on you… and now you’re reading this article! Fantasy movie Hocus Pocus became a cult classic after it was released in 1993, becoming a staple for many Halloween movie nights. The original 90’s movie took place in Salem, Massachusetts, with new kid in town Max Dennison inadvertently bringing the children-hunting Sanderson Sisters back to life 300 years after they were executed by lighting the Candle of Black Flame.

With their pesky habit of devouring children’s souls to stay young, the witches were ultimately taken down, but after a long road to production, the sequel was finally announced in October 2019, with new snippets of information being released since then. While the Sanderson Sisters will be reprising their roles, it looks like there will be a new gang of children to terrorise this time round.

It also sounds like the sequel will contain flashback scenes because child actresses have been cast as young versions of the Sanderson Sisters and the filming locations have included historic buildings and 1600s-era sets being built. As we inch closer and closer to the highly-anticipated sequel’s release date, here’s everything you need to know about the Hocus Pocus 2 release date, trailer, cast and plot.

WHEN IS THE HOCUS POCUS 2 RELEASE DATE?

Hocus Pocus 2 will be released on September 30, 2022. We’ve known for a while that the comedy movie was on track for a 2022 release date.

In January 2022, though, Adam Shankman, who’s producing this film (after directing the first) that Hocus Pocus 2 would be dropping around Halloween 2022. So, that’s Halloween movie night sorted!

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IS THERE A HOCUS POCUS 2 TRAILER?

The first trailer for Hocus Pocus 2 was released on June 28, 2022. Not a lot happens, but we do see Cassie, Becca, and Izzie re-light the Black Flame and bring the Sanderson Sisters back. “Some legends never die,” the on-screen text reads.

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A second trailer was released at D23, that delved more into the Sanderson sisters’s past. This will be a prequel and sequel, all in one, how wicked!

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HOCUS POCUS 2 PLOT

Not much is known about the specific plot of the family-friendly horror movie yet.

In a November 2021 press release, Disney gave a broad overview of the plot, which goes as follows, “It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters who were executed for practising witchcraft, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to figure out how to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before midnight on All Hallow’s Eve.”

The three high school students in question are  Becca (Whitney Peak), Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) and Izzie (Belissa Escobedo). Presumably, they’ll play a similar role to the Dennison siblings and Allison, who were the three youngsters who got entangled with the witches the first time around.

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While Adam Shankman is unable to return as director because of his work on Disney Plus’s upcoming Enchanted sequel, he will still be involved as a producer. Viewers needn’t be “disenchanted” by his replacement, with Anne Fletcher, who has previously worked on romance movies like 27 Dresses, taking on directing responsibilities for this Disney movie.

Hocus Pocus 2 release date: Bette Midler in Hocus Pocus

Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, Fletcher said, “This is a movie for everyone, from the fans who grew up with the first film to the next generation of viewers, and I can’t wait to get started.”

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Midler also previously said in an interview with People magazine that the script for the anticipated sequel looked “pretty great,” so we have high hopes!

WHO ARE THE HOCUS POCUS 2 CAST?

It wouldn’t be Hocus Pocus without the Sanderson Sisters, with Disney Plus announcing in May 2021 that Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy would be reprising their roles as Winifred, Sarah (creative name) and Mary Sanderson as they wreak havoc on the modern world. Also returning is Doug Jones as Winnie’s ex-boyfriend Billy Butcherson — who was unfortunately zombie-fied when Winnie caught him cheating.

Thora Birch, who played Dani Dennison when she was 10 years old, was invited back for the sequel to play an adult version of the character, who would help the new teens with their task to take down the Sanderson Sisters. Unfortunately, she was unable to accept the role due to scheduling conflicts.

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Apart from these returns, there is a host of new talent set to come in this spooky movie, with Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, Belissa Escobedo taking on central roles as Becca, Cassie and Izzie — three high school students who are tasked with taking down Salem’s spellbinding witches.

Hocus Pocus 2 release date: Omri Katz and Doug Jones in Hocus Pocus

Other new cast members announced by Disney Plus include Tony Hale as the mayor of Salem, and Sam Richardson, Hannah Waddingham, and Froy Gutierrez in unknown roles. Meanwhile, with the movie set to include flashback sequences, Taylor Henderson, Juju Brener, and Nina Kitchen are all set to play young versions of Winnie, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson, respectively.

With Hocus Pocus 2 also set to include drag versions of the wicked witches, former Drag Race contestants Jinjer Minj, Kahmora Hall, and Kornbread Jeté are all set to play drag versions of Winnie, Sarah, and Mary, respectively.

Who’s in the Hocus Pocus 2 cast?

  • Bette Midler
  • Sarah Jessica Parker
  • Kathy Najimy
  • Doug Jones
  • Whitney Peak
  • Lilia Buckingham
  • Belissa Escobedo
  • Tony Hale
  • Sam Richardson
  • Hannah Waddingham
  • Froy Gutierrez
  • Taylor Henderson
  • Juju Brener
  • Nina Kitchen
  • Jinjer Minj
  • Kahmora Hall
  • Kornbread Jeté

Hocus Pocus 2 is set to drop on Disney Plus on September 30, 2022, but in the meantime, you can watch the original 1993 movie on the streaming service!