Stars of 'Hocus Pocus 2' talk about revisiting their spooky roles ahead of Disney+ premiere

BySandy Kenyon OTRC logo
Thursday, September 29, 2022
Long-awaited premiere of 'Hocus Pocus 2' comes to Disney+ Friday
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy revisit their roles as the witchy Sanderson sisters in Hocus Pocus 2. Sandy Kenyon has the story.

NEW YORK CITY -- In a new movie sequel, three sisters are thrown out of Salem suspected of being witches, and then return 370 years later.

Fans of the original "Hocus Pocus" know what that means, and on Friday, the original stars are reuniting on Disney+.

The Sanderson sisters are looking for revenge and it's up to a trio of high school students to stop them.

Entertainment Reporter Sandy Kenyon went to the movie's premiere to talk to the stars of the sequel. For three of Hollywood's biggest stars, it was a rare opportunity to revisit roles they played three decades ago.

And for the young people who got to play opposite Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, it was a chance to share the screen with legends.

When three witchy sisters from an iconic Halloween movie get together again for more "Hocus Pocus," making magic is almost guaranteed.

"The chemistry between the three sisters -- a huge part of it!" said Najimy, who plays the broomless Mary Sanderson.

Midler called the reunion emotional and just a little bit odd.

"It's as if those costumes have a spirit of their own, and once you put them on, you become that, and you can't help yourself," Midler, who plays the mastermind Winifred Sanderson, said. "They move you. They force you to behave in certain ways that you'd never behave in real life."

"I thought it was amusing that 30 years later, here were these grown women trying to recall vividly how to be these evil intending, very silly people," said Parker, who plays songstress Sarah Sanderson.

"Hocus Pocus 2" was in development for years until a couple of fans of the original, Disney executives Jessica Virtue and Rachel Young, put the project on the fast track.

Doug Jones, who plays the undead Billy Butcherson, said the sequel is just scary enough, with some comic relief mixed in.

"Fun, laughs, colors, costumes, and also a little bit of scary, but just enough to make you go, 'but it is going to be OK in the end," Jones said.

The original captured the imagination of generations of children. Younger members of the cast say they all loved watching the original for Halloween.

"It was one of my favorite movies and it still is," said Tayor Henderson, who's playing young Winifred in the sequel.

Jen D'Angelo wrote the sequel and said the process was a little frightening.

"Oh my gosh, it was very intimidating," D'Angelo said. "It was the scariest Halloween of my life was when I was writing this."

D'Angelo and all the others involved, today's generation of thrill-seekers, can see what all the fuss is all about.

"Hocus Pocus 2" starts screening on September 30 on Disney+, which is owned by the parent company of ABC.