‘Hocus Pocus’ Is Getting A TV Movie Remake – Without The Original Cast
The cult classic Disney movie that became a staple of Halloween night marathons for millennials across the country is getting its highly demanded resurrection — but probably not asHocus Pocusfans would have liked.
Hocus Pocusis returning from the grave as a TV movie remake without any of the original cast. Which…feels more like a trick than a treat.
TheHocus Pocusremake will be a reimagining of the 1993 live-action classic, which originally starredBette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker,andKathy Najimyas the fabulous, scene-stealing witches who terrorize the children of Salem after they were accidentally resurrected. Disney Channel is currently developing the remake withThe Royals’Scarlett Laceyworking on the screenplay and original movie producerDavid Kirschneron board to executive produce, according toDeadline.
But it seems like in addition to the cast, none of the original crew are involved in the remake either, despiteHocus Pocusco-writerMick Garris excitedly discussingthe prospect of aHocus Pocussequel earlier this week. DirectorKenny Ortega– who has since helmed massive Disney Channel hits likeHigh School MusicalandDescendants– isn’t involved either.
This news is a little disappointing for fans of the Sanderson Sisters, especially since the promise of a fully reunitedHocus Pocus 2had been bouncing around Hollywood for decades — and as recently as yesterday!
It’s taken so long that Midler’s enthusiasm for the project waned, saying in 2015, “After all these years and all the fan demand, I do believe I can stand and firmly say an unequivocal no.” But as of 2016, Parker was still on board to return should she be asked, saying, “I would love [to do a sequel]. I think we’ve all been fairly vocal about being very keen but that hasn’t created any groundswell of movement.”
And in his recent interview in which he mentioned that the sequel would be made for TV, Garris said that he expected the three original actresses to return: “If they don’t do that I think it would be a big mistake because all three of them are still so incredibly potent and powerful and great performers and who else can recreate those characters?”
Alas, it is not meant to be, and we’ll likely see some younger and more Disney Channel-friendly stars step into those crooked, magical dancing shoes. Let’s hope if they do a musical sequence, it can live up to Bette Midler’s iconic rendition of “I Put a Spell On You.”
