After almost 30 years of waiting, the long-awaited sequel to the kid-friendly horror film Hocus Pocus finally debuted. Much to the amazement of the viewers, Hocus pocus 2 did not receive a theatrical release like the original, but was released on Disney+ instead. Per Forbes, release surpassed Disney+’s records as it broke its highest opening weekend for a feature film on the streamer. This record makes many fans wonder why the film didn’t get a theatrical release in the end.
Hocus pocus 2 picks it up in modern-day Salem after two girls accidentally wake the Sanderson sisters. The film has been adapted for the older audience who previously enjoyed the first film, but still retained many much-loved aspects of the original. Fortunately, the actresses who played the original Sanderson Sisters all took their roles from the original movie. Sarah Jessica Parker plays Sarah, Bette Midler plays Winifred and Kathy Najimy plays Mary. The actresses will forever be known for their roles in Hocus Pocus despite the fact that they have huge careers outside of their roles in the film. Their following plus the general expectation of Hocus pocus 2 should have been enough to score a cinema debut.
With many great features that work for Hocus pocus 2, why wasn’t it enough for the studio to release the film in theaters? Did Disney make a mistake by not releasing the film in theaters? Let’s take a closer look at some of the many reasons why the film would have been successful had it been released in theaters.
Minimal box office competition during opening weekend
Hocus pocus 2 hit Disney+ on September 30, 2022. Had they hit theatrical release on the same day, the film would have been in the running for three additional new films: Smile, Brosand the good house. Smile is a horror movie, brothers a gay romcom, and the good house, a comedy. To date, all three films have received decent reviews, but none of them really inspired high ticket sales. In reality, brothers was considered a box-office flop. According to Box Office Mojo, Smile grossed the highest amount over the weekend, reaching $22.6 million in sales.
How does this relate to what? Hocus pocus 2 did on Disney+? As previously mentioned, the sequel to the cult classic broke Disney+’s streaming record that weekend (September 30 – October 2). While the exact streaming hours have yet to be released, one can guess that if viewers were flocking to Disney+, they might have gone to theaters too. It’s true that streaming from home is more convenient, but let’s think about the target age range for this movie. The original film came out in the 1990s, when millennials were the dominant age group of viewers. Today’s millennials are between the ages of 30 and 40, a demographic that grew up going to the movies on weekends. They remember the excitement of watching a movie on the big screen, something a movie they’ve waited almost 30 years for would have been worth a trip to the theater.
It is a movie suitable for all ages
Speaking of millennials, let’s broaden that age range to really dive into the ages who can enjoy the Hocus Pocus movies. The original film received a PG rating as did the sequel. This PG rating makes it suitable for almost all ages. Having a movie that both parents and children can enjoy also helps boost cinema sales as there is a larger pool of customers to draw from. Those who loved the original movie can share a new memory with their kids or grandkids, and those without kids can still enjoy the movie too!
As previously mentioned, millennials were arguably the reason the first movie, which was deemed a flop at the box office, became a cult classic over the past 30 years. Admittedly, the first movie wasn’t immediately popular, but now it can be found on multiple TV stations and can even be streamed anytime. According to their website, free form plans to broadcast the original Hocus Pocus a whopping 14 times during their “31 Nights of Halloween”. Taking this into account, Hocus pocus 2 should have gotten a theatrical release as the franchise has already largely risen in value from a sequel to an already established theatrical cult favorite.
It’s the perfect season for a Halloween movie
Perhaps the most obvious reason to give Hocus pocus 2 one theatrical release was that it is a Halloween movie released during Halloween time. Granted, Halloween isn’t technically celebrated until October 31, but many agree that once the first fall day hits in September, it’s acceptable to at least get into the spirir of the Halloween season.
The main plot of Hocus pocus 2 is around the Sanderson Sisters aka witches. When you think of witches, you think of Halloween – it’s a natural connection. Another thing that comes to your mind during Halloween is everything scary. While Hocus pocus 2 might not necessarily be scary, it’s still a Halloween movie with creepy aspects like witches, zombies, and costumes. On the other hand, if you consider that the Sanderson Sisters sought immortality by sucking the souls out of children, that could argue for a ghostly theme.
Regardless of the lack of jumpscares or even blood, not all Halloween movies need to be scary to be successful. Many iconic Halloween movies are in fact not spooky, but nonetheless embody elements of the much-loved holiday. For those who love Halloween but aren’t scared, watching these non-spooky Halloween movies is a great activity. A great fall activity is going to the movies, an activity that Hocus pocus 2 could have offered if it had gotten its well-deserved theatrical release. Thanks to the huge success of the sequel, fans have already flocked to the internet to get a sense of a third film. Now that one movie has been released in theaters and the other straight to streaming, it’s curious to see how a possible third would be released.