When Hocus Pocus dropped in theaters in 1993, it flopped — but it has since lasted the test of time, becoming a must-watch film every October.
Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson Sisters, the spooky classic follows a high school boy (Omri Katz), his crush (Vinessa Shaw) and his little sister (Thora Birch), who quickly find out the rumor of the witches is true and must find a way to stop them from becoming immortal before Halloween is over.In May 2021, Disney+ announced the official return of the Sanderson sisters for the long-awaited sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, with Midler, Parker and Najimy all reprising their roles.
“Sistaaaahs! It’s been 300 years… But we’re BACK! The second installment premiered on Disney+ in September 2022 and became the streaming service’s most-watched film.
Scroll through the gallery below to see what the original cast is up to today:Bette Midler (Winifred)
The icon continued her acting and singing career after the spooky hit, starring in The First Wives Club and The Stepford Wives. She had a Las Vegas residency, Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On, from 2008 to 2010. The next year, she produced the Broadway production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Midler landed her first-ever leading role on Broadway in 2017 in Hello, Dolly, for which she won a Tony Award. In addition to film and stage appearances, the singer was an adviser on The Voice in 2016 and starred in Netflix’s The Politician in 2019. In 2020, she led HBO’s Coastal Elites. She has been married to Martin von Haselberg since 1984, and the pair have one daughter, actress Sophie von Haselberg.
Midler celebrated the news of the Hocus Pocus sequel in May 2021. “Sistaaaahs! It’s been 300 years… But we’re BACK! 🧹 #HocusPocus2 arrives Fall 2022 on @DisneyPlus,” the actress wrote via Instagram at the time. The following January, Midler confirmed production was over. “THAT’S A WRAP!!!!” she tweeted alongside a pin of the iconic witches looking at a spell book.Sarah Jessica Parker (Sarah)
Five years after the spooky flick, Parker landed one of the lead roles in Sex and the City, which aired from 1998 to 2004 and was followed by two films. She starred in multiple other movies, including The Family Stone, Failure to Launch and New Year’s Eve. From 2016 to 2019, she led the HBO drama Divorce, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. In 2014, she launched her footwear line, SJP Collection. Parker has been married to Matthew Broderick since 1997 and they have three children.
She reprised her role as Carrie Bradshaw in And Just Like That, a Sex and the City sequel series, which debuted on HBO Max in December 2021.
Parker gave fans a few behind-the-scenes details of the Hocus Pocus 2 production. “Hair and makeup test on HP2. First day,” the Divorce alum wrote via her Instagram Story in November 2021, alongside a video of her character’s face makeup. “Where is Sarah? There’s a piece of Sarah!” she joked while showing off the witch’s long, blonde wig.
The Failure to Launch actress also shared a video of the fall leaves in what appeared to be at the Rhode Island filming location, teasing viewers with what’s to come.
Moreover, during a February 2022 appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Parker confirmed she would be teaming up with costars Midler and Najimy for another musical performance in the new film. “Yes, there will be a number! Of course there will be a number — a number or two,” she quipped, adding that shooting the sequel was “amazing and funny.” #HocusPocus2 arrives Fall 2022 on @DisneyPlus,” Midler confirmed via Instagram at the time.
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