Hocus Pocus 2 Treats Us To A New Release Date

Ah say ento pi alpha mabi upendi! Shoutout to whichever virgin lit the Black Flame Candle again, because the witches are back, and there's hell to pay! 

Be on the lookout for talking cats, because Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker are ready to terrorize the unsuspecting children of Salem once again in the highly-anticipated sequel, "Hocus Pocus 2." During a presentation today at Disney UpFront, it was announced that the ultimate spooky sisters' sequel would be debuting on Disney+ on September 30, 2022, just in time for the Halloween season and earlier than the previously announced release of October 31. Midler, Najimy, and Parker are all reprising their iconic roles as Winnifred, Mary, and Sarah Sanderson, respectively, with Doug Jones' zombified Billy Butcherson and director Kenny Ortega returning as well. Funnyman Sam Richardson ("Werewolves Within," "The Afterparty," "I Think You Should Leave") has also been tapped to star, but his new character has yet to be described.

Reports have said that the new story will focus on three modern-day teenagers played by Whitney Peak ("Chilling Adventures of Sabrina"), Lilia Buckingham ("Total Eclipse"), and Belissa Escobedo ("American Horror Story") who are forced to stop the Sanderson sisters after they've been resurrected once again. The original film was a surprising flop but it developed a massive fanbase once it was made available to rent and showed up on television during the Halloween season. Now, Spirit Halloween sells officially licensed costuming and merchandise, so you and your friends can win the group category during every costume contest.

Fans have been as thirsty for "Hocus Pocus 2" news as Sarah Sanderson is for mortal busboys, and according to Entertainment Weekly, Disney showcased some rough-cut footage that looked like a total blast. According to their report, the Black Flame Candle is lit by two teen girls who are interrupted by a wailing Winnifred Sanderson who exclaims, "Lock up your children! Yes, Salem, we're back!" The footage then reportedly shifted to a musical number, featuring a cover of Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back." Given this is a Disney movie, there's a good chance they're modifying the language to "The Witch is Back," hopefully introducing a new generation to Elton John the way Hocus Pocus did for Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put A Spell On You."

EW reports that both Jones' Billy Butcherson and Sam Richardson's character are seen in the clip, as is the mayor of Salem played by Tony Hale ("Arrested Development”). Given the footage was part of a rough cut, it's highly unlikely that Disney will make it available anytime soon, but now that we've got a September 30, 2022, release date, it's only a matter of time before they drop a trailer. 

The original "Hocus Pocus" had a July release, surprisingly enough, so maybe we'll get a poetic full-circle moment and see a trailer sometime this summer.