Hocus Pocus | |
---|---|
Created by | David Kirschner Mick Garris |
Original work | Hocus Pocus |
Owner | The Walt Disney Company |
Years | 1993—present |
Films and television | |
Film(s) |
|
Short film(s) | Hocus Pocus: As Told By Chibi (2022) |
Television special(s) | Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash (2018) |
Games | |
Video game(s) |
|
Audio | |
Soundtrack(s) |
|
Miscellaneous | |
Toy(s) | Lego Hocus Pocus |
Theme park attraction(s) |
|
Hocus Pocus is an American media franchise consisting of two films, a sequel novelization, and other Disney media and merchandise. The series was created by David Kirschner and Mick Garris.
Film | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) | Release type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hocus Pocus | July 16, 1993 | Kenny Ortega | Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert | David Kirschner and Mick Garris | David Kirschner and Steven Haft | Theatrical |
Hocus Pocus 2 | September 30, 2022 | Anne Fletcher | Jen D'Angelo | David Kirschner & Blake Harris and Jen D'Angelo | Lynn Harris | Disney+ original |
Hocus Pocus 3 | TBA | Jen D'Angelo | TBA |
300 years ago, in 1693, in Salem, Massachusetts, the Sanderson sisters were hanged by the population of Salem after a boy named Thackery Binx tried to stop the witches and was turned into an immortal black cat while saving his sister Emily. Before they die, Winifred (the oldest of the sisters) casts a spell stating they will return when a virgin lights a black candle in their house. In the present day, 1993, a newcomer from Los Angeles, California, Max, is bullied at school by two bullies, and has a crush on his schoolmate Allison. On Halloween night, his parents force him to go trick-or-treating with his sister Dani while they go to a party. Max and Dani stumbles upon the house of Allison and decide to go to the house of the Sanderson sisters. While at the house, Max lights a black candle and brings back Winifred, along with her sisters Sarah and Mary Sanderson. The sisters have but one night to suck the essence of the children of Salem and survive for more than one night before sunrise. But Max, Allison, and Dani want to avoid their wish to come true, so they team up with a 300-year-old cat and Winifred's lover, Billy Butcherson, to save the day.
In 1653, in Salem, the teenage Winifred Sanderson is banned from the village by the local Reverend Traske after refusing to marry John Pritchett. After causing havoc in the town, she runs with sister Sarah and Mary to a forbidden forest. There, they meet the Mother Witch, who gives Winifred a magic spell book. In the present day, 29 years after the events of the first film, in 2022, an aspirant witch named Becca is celebrating her 16th birthday with her friend Izzy. When the owner of a magic store named Gilbert gives a magic black candle to Becca for her birthday, she goes to the forest with Izzy along with their other friend Cassie and they summon the Sanderson sisters. Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson return to seek children to eat and plan revenge against Reverend Traske's descendants. The trio must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world.
In October 2022, executive producer Adam Shankman stated that the storyline involving Becca allows for future projects, including potential spin-offs. [1] By February 2023, Midler stated that while nothing was official she was open to returning in a sequel. [2] [3] Kathy Najimy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Belissa Escobedo, and Lilia Buckingham as well as original film stars Omri Katz, Vinessa Shaw, and Jason Marsden each expressed interest in returning for a third installment. [4] [5] [6] In June 2023, Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, confirmed that a third film is in development, and planned for a release on Disney+. [7] [8] Later that month, it was announced that Anne Fletcher will once again serve as director, with a script written by Jen D'Angelo. [9] In October 2023, D'Angelo confirmed that work on the script had already begun. [10]
On October 20, 2018, a special entitled Hocus Pocus 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash aired on Freeform. The special featured interviews with members of the cast, including Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, as well as a costume contest hosted by Sharon and Kelly Osbourne. It was filmed at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. [11] [12]
In September 2022, franchise creator and executive producer for Hocus Pocus 2 David Kirschner, stated that he has ideas for a spin-off television series. Inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer , Kirschner stated that the concept revolves around Salem's supernatural history, including characters whose names appear on the tombstones during the first film. [13]
In 2022, Disney Channel ran a short titled Hocus Pocus: As Told By Chibi. This continues the trend started by Big Hero 6: The Series shorts spin-off Big Chibi 6 The Shorts and continued with several Disney franchises. The short was released on October 15, 2022, simplifies the plot of the first Hocus Pocus. [14] [15]
This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.
Characters | Films | ||
---|---|---|---|
Hocus Pocus | Hocus Pocus 2 | ||
Winifred Sanderson | Bette Midler | Bette Midler Taylor Paige Henderson Y | |
Sarah Sanderson | Sarah Jessica Parker | Sarah Jessica Parker Juji Brener Y | |
Mary Sanderson | Kathy Najimy | Kathy Najimy Nina Kitchen Y | |
Billy Butcherson | Doug Jones | Doug Jones Austin J. Ryan Y | |
Max Dennison | Omri Katz | Omri Katz A | |
Allison Watts | Vinessa Shaw | Vinessa Shaw A | |
Dani Dennison | Thora Birch | Thora Birch A | |
Thackery Binx | Sean Murray Jason Marsden | ||
Emily Binx | Amanda Shepherd | Amanda Shepherd A | |
Master Devil | Garry Marshall | Garry Marshall A | |
Medusa Lady | Penny Marshall | Penny Marshall A | |
Ernie "Ice" | Larry Bagby | ||
Jay | Tobias Jelinek | ||
Jennifer Dennison | Stephanie Faracy | ||
David Dennison | Charles Rocket | ||
Elijah | Steve Voboril | ||
Mr. Binx | Norbert Weisser | ||
Miss Olin | Kathleen Freeman | ||
Singer at the party | Joe Malone | ||
Gilbert | Sam Richardson Jaylin Pryor Y | ||
Becca | Whitney Peak | ||
Izzy | Belissa Escobedo | ||
Jefry Traske | Tony Hale | ||
Reverend Traske | Tony Hale | ||
Mother Witch | Hannah Waddingham | ||
Cassie Traske | Lilia Buckingham | ||
Mike | Froy Gutierrez |
Film | Crew/Detail | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Composer | Cinematographer | Editor | Production companies | Distributing company | Running time | ||
Hocus Pocus | John Debney | Hiro Narita | Peter E. Berger | Walt Disney Pictures, Touchwood Pacific Partners 1 | Buena Vista Pictures Distribution | 1 hr 36 mins [16] | |
Hocus Pocus 2 | Elliot Davis | Julia Wong | Walt Disney Pictures, David Kirschner Productions, Weimaraner Republic Pictures, Disney+ Original Films | Disney+ | 1 hr 43 mins [17] |
In 2009, during ABC Family's (now Freeform) 13 Nights of Halloween lineup, a broadcast of the first film garnered 2.5 million viewers. [18] In 2011, an October 29 airing became the lineup's most watched program, garnering 2.8 million viewers. [19] In 2018, the lineup, now known as 31 Nights of Halloween during its 25th anniversary year, the first week of Hocus Pocus viewings garnered 8.2 million viewers. [20]
According to Whip Media, Hocus Pocus was the most watched movie across all platforms in the United States during the week of October 31, 2021. [21] According to Whip Media, Hocus Pocus was the 2nd most watched movie across all platforms in the United States during the week of September 30, 2022 to October 2, 2022, [22] [23] the 7th during the week of October 9, 2022, [24] [25] and the 9th during the week of October 23, 2022. [26]
In October 2022, Disney+ reported Hocus Pocus 2 was the service's most-viewed-film premiere in the United States, based on the number of hours streamed in the first three days of its release. [27] [28] [29] Disney later reported that Hocus Pocus 2 was the service's most-viewed film. [30] [31]
According to Whip Media, Hocus Pocus 2 was the 2nd most anticipated film of September 2022, [32] the most watched straight-to-streaming title of 2022 in its first three days, [30] as of October 2022, [33] [34] the most watched film across all platforms in the United States during the week of September 30, 2022, to October 2, 2022, [22] [23] the 2nd during the week of October 9, 2022, [24] [25] the 4th during the week of October 23, 2022, [26] as well as the 4th during the week of October 30, 2022, [35] and the 9th during the week of November 4, 2022 to November 6, 2022. [36] According to the streaming aggregator Reelgood, Hocus Pocus 2 was the most watched program across all platforms during the weeks of October 5, 2022, and October 14, 2022. [37]
Film | Release date | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Budget | Ref(s) | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States opening weekend | North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All time North America | All time worldwide | ||||
Hocus Pocus | July 16, 1993 | $8,125,471 | $44,101,060 | $1,046,929 | $45,147,989 | #2,056 | — | $28 million | [38] [39] |
Hocus Pocus 2 | September 30, 2022 | — | — | — | — | — | — | $40 million | [40] |
Totals | 44,101,060 | 1,046,929 | 45,147,989 | $68 million | — |
Film | Critical | Public | |
---|---|---|---|
Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore | |
Hocus Pocus | 40% (63 reviews) [41] | 43 (27 reviews) [42] | B+ [43] |
Hocus Pocus 2 | 65% (157 reviews) [44] | 56 (32 reviews) [45] | — |
In July 2018, a book entitled Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel was released, containing a novelization of film and a sequel story. The sequel focuses of Max and Allison's daughter, Poppy, who grew up hearing the family story of the original film and parents who avoid Halloween as much as possible. Poppy is skeptical of the tale and ends up in the Sanderson house on Halloween, 25 years to the day the original film takes place, in an attempt to prove there is nothing to the story. [55]
In September 2016, entertainment critic Aaron Wallace published Hocus Pocus in Focus: The Thinking Fan's Guide to Disney's Halloween Classic, the first full-length book written about the film. The book includes a foreword by Thora Birch and afterword by Mick Garris. Billed as a "lighthearted but scholarly look at the film", the book analyzes the film's major themes, which it identifies as festivity, nostalgia, home, horror, virginity, feminism, Broadway-style musical moments, sibling rivalry, "Spielbergian" filmmaking style, Disney villain traditions, and more. Wallace also analyzes Walt Disney World's Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular as part of the film's legacy and includes "the largest collection of Hocus Pocus fun facts and trivia ever assembled", complete with extensive endnote citations. [56] [57] [58]
The Sanderson sisters appear as playable characters in Disney video games such as Disney Magic Kingdoms (2016) [59] and Disney Heroes: Battle Mode (2018).
During an interview on The Big Seance Podcast in September 2021, creator David Kirschner revealed that a Broadway adaptation of the original film is in development." [60] During an interview leading up to the release of Hocus Pocus 2 in September 2022, he stated that "I just want to pinch myself, and I'm just afraid that I'm going to be 9 years old and on a Little League field again. But it's just so wonderful just to stand back and watch all of this ... I think you're going to be very pleased." [61] Kenny Ortega, the director of the original film, previously revealed to Forbes in September 2020 of his interest to direct the production, stating "I think a Hocus Pocus musical would be great fun, really great fun." [62]
In September 2015, the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular was introduced at the Magic Kingdom as part of Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World. The show features the Sanderson sisters who try to make a villain party and summon or attract various Disney villains in the process. [63]
Since 2009, "I Put a Spell on You" which features prominently in the first movie, plays during the audience exit for the fireworks show Halloween Screams for Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland.
On July 4, 2023, Hocus Pocus: The Sanderson Sisters’ Cottage (set number: 21341) was released and is based on a scene from the first Hocus Pocus . The winning project's announcement came over two months before the release of the sequel Hocus Pocus 2 . The set consists of 2316 pieces with 6 minifigures. The set included Lego minifigures of the three Sanderson Sisters (Winifred, Sarah and Mary), Max, Danni, Allison and Thackery Binx as black cat. [64]
Bette Midler is an American actress, comedian, singer, and author. Throughout her five-decade career Midler has received numerous accolades, including four Golden Globe Awards, three Grammy Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and a Kennedy Center Honor, in addition to nominations for two Academy Awards and a British Academy Film Award.
Kathy Ann Najimy is an American actress and activist. She was first nationally known for her feminist play The Kathy and Mo Show, which she wrote and performed with Mo Gaffney. On film, she is best known for her roles in Soapdish (1991), Sister Act (1992) and its sequel (1993), Hocus Pocus (1993) and its sequel (2022), Hope Floats (1998), The Wedding Planner (2001), Rat Race (2001), WALL-E (2008), Step Up 3D (2010), The Guilt Trip (2012), Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas (2013), A Christmas Melody (2015), Dumplin' (2018), Music (2021), and Single All the Way (2021). On television, she is best known for her portrayal of Olive Massery on the NBC sitcom Veronica's Closet (1997–2000) and for voicing Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the Hill (1997–2010).
Hocus Pocus is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert, and a story by David Kirschner and Garris. It follows a villainous comedic trio of witches who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy in Salem, Massachusetts on Halloween night.
Hocus-pocus is an exclamation used by magicians, usually the magic words spoken when bringing about some sort of change.
Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw is an American film actress and model. She began her career as a child actress, and had her breakout role in Disney's 1993 Halloween comedy-fantasy film Hocus Pocus. Shaw also appeared in Ladybugs (1992) and L.A. Without a Map (1998).
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge is a 2001 American fantasy comedy film released as a Disney Channel Original Movie for the Halloween season. It is the second installment in the Halloweentown series. Set two years after the first film, Marnie returns to find Halloweentown's citizens transformed into dull, black-and-white humans. With the help of her friend Luke and Grandma Aggie, she seeks to uncover and reverse the “Grey Spell” before it's too late.
Sean Harland Murray is an American actor known for his role as Special Agent Timothy McGee on the American TV drama NCIS, Thackery Binx in Disney's Halloween film Hocus Pocus and Danny Walden in the military drama series JAG.
David Maxwell Kirschner is an American film and television producer and screenwriter. His producing credits include Don Bluth's An American Tail and Titan A.E. animated features as well as the Child's Play horror film series.
Anne Fletcher is an American choreographer, film director, dancer and actress. She directed the films Step Up (2006), 27 Dresses (2008), The Proposal (2009), The Guilt Trip (2012), Hot Pursuit (2015), Dumplin' (2018), and Hocus Pocus 2 (2022).
Halloweentown is an American television series of four fantasy films released as Disney Channel Original Movies: Halloweentown (1998), Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001), Halloweentown High (2004), and Return to Halloweentown (2006).
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is a separate-admission Halloween-themed event held annually during the months of August, September, October, and November at the Magic Kingdom theme park of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, near Orlando, and at Disneyland Paris Resort outside Paris, France. The party began as a response to the Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Studios Florida. Disney's event caters to a traditional family atmosphere, whereas Universal's has more of a "fright-centered" event with their monsters.
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American actress and television producer. In a career spanning over five decades, she has performed across several productions of both screen and stage. Her accolades include six Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2022.
Winnie or Winny is both a male and a female given name of Welsh origin, a short form (hypocorism) of Edwina, Winona, Winifred or Winnifred, Winter, Gwendolyn, Guinevere (Welsh), Gwyneth (Welsh), and Wynne (Welsh). The name's meaning is: fair one, white and smooth, soft, happiness, or fair and pure. The popularity of the name Winnie steadily declined among American women in the 20th century, but in the 1990 US Census, still ranked 699th of 4276. Some commentators note that the name has risen in use for girls along with other names of a similar style that all exude cuteness and promote enjoyment, perhaps in reaction to serious times.
31 Nights of Halloween is an American seasonal programming block on Freeform. It originally began airing in 1998, after the Family Channel became Fox Family, and was continued through the channel's change into ABC Family, and later, Freeform. The 13 Days of Halloween block was created mainly due to the success of the channel's 25 Days of Christmas, which had started two years earlier. The special block lasted from October 19 until Halloween night, covering the thirteen days before the holiday. Starting in 2018, the program aired throughout the whole month of October.
Leigh Hamilton was a New Zealand-born American actress and art gallery owner.
Bonnie Sue Fishman, known professionally as Bonnie Bruckheimer, is an American film and television producer. She has also been known professionally as Bonnie Fishman, Bonnie Martell, and Bonnie Bruckheimer-Martell. She has been nominated for 2 Emmy Awards. In 1985, she and Bette Midler formed their own production company, All Girl Productions, and were producing partners until 2002.
Hocus Pocus 2 is a 2022 American fantasy comedy film directed by Anne Fletcher, written by Jen D'Angelo and produced by Walt Disney Pictures. It is a sequel to the 1993 film Hocus Pocus and the second installment in the Hocus Pocus franchise. The film stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and Doug Jones reprising their roles. Sam Richardson, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Tony Hale, and Hannah Waddingham join the cast.
Kahmora Hall is the stage name of Paul Tran, a drag performer most known for competing on season 13 of RuPaul's Drag Race.
The Princess is a 2022 American fantasy action comedy thriller film directed by Le-Van Kiet and starring Joey King in the title role with Dominic Cooper, Olga Kurylenko, and Veronica Ngo. The film focuses on a strong-willed princess who fights to protect her family and save the kingdom when her suitor, a cruel sociopath she refuses to marry, intends on taking over the kingdom. The Princess, released on Hulu on July 1, 2022. It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, who praised King's performance, but criticized the screenplay.
Hocus Pocus 2 (Original Soundtrack) is the soundtrack album to the 2022 fantasy comedy film Hocus Pocus 2; a sequel to the 1993 film Hocus Pocus. John Debney, who scored for the first film, returned for the sequel in October 2021. The album consisted of 28 tracks: two original songs, seven adapted songs and Debney's score containing the remainder of it. It was digitally released by Walt Disney Records on September 30, 2022 (the same day on the film's Disney+ release), and was followed by a physical release on November 11.
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