Sequel Bits: 'Hocus Pocus', 'Halloween', 'Ghostbusters', 'Tremors'
In this edition of Sequel Bits:
After years and years of fans demanding it, a Hocus Pocus sequel is apparently finally happening. And in case there was any doubt, it appears that the original witches – Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy – are all coming back. Parker confirmed this via Instagram, stating: "We have all said yes. Now we wait." Jen D'Angelo was recently hired by Disney to write the script for the film, which is destined for the Disney streaming service Disney+. Hocus Pocus was a huge flop when it opened in 1993, but the movie has built up an almost rabid cult following. And now here we are! With Disney making a sequel to a film that lost them $16.5 million.
Halloween Kills has wrapped filming, and in honor of this news, you can see a behind-the-scenes pic above. It shows off Anthony Michael Hall as Tommy Doyle, as well as original Halloween stars Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace and Nancy Stephens as Marion Chambers. What can we surmise from the fact that all of these original Halloween characters are in the same shot together? Nothing, I guess! Still, it's neat. Halloween Kills arrives October 16, 2020.
Speaking of wrapped sequels, Ghostbusters 2020 is done filming, and has been for some time. But that doesn't mean we can't have one more casting announcement. Deadline says that Oliver Cooper, who appeared in The Front Runner, has a role in the movie. We don't know what his role is, nor do we have much info about the movie beyond that it's a sequel to the original two films. Original stars Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Dan Aykroyd, and Sigourney Weaver will all be back, with new cast members including Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, and Finn Wolfhard. Jason Reitman helms the movie, which is due out on July 10, 2020.
There's a new Tremors movie on the way, because of course there is. Tremors: Island Fury is the 40,000th entry in the series (actually it's the seventh, but still), and it has a surprising star, according to Coming Soon: Jon Heder. Yes, Napoleon Dynamite himself. Richard Brake, Caroline Langrishe, and Jackie Cruz will also appear, along with Michael Gross, who has been in all of the movies. In the film, "The deadly Graboids are back, illegally brought in to a new island resort by a rich playboy looking for a trophy hunt." Filming begins this month.