“I bewitched you, and now you’re mine…” The Disney Halloween Movie, Hocus Pocus, usually reappears when it’s nearly Halloween. Such is the love for the 90s movie that after nearly 30 years, a Disney+ sequel is due out just before October. The Sanderson sisters will be back for another naughty adventure, but there will be new characters (and some old faces) joining them in the sequel.
Unfortunately, some of the main characters from the first movie will not return to Hocus pocus 2 — Max Dennison (Omri Katz), Alisson (Vinessa Shaw) and Dani Dennison (Thora Birch) Birch had a problem with her schedule because she will be part of the Netflix series, Wednesday. The director, Anne Fletcher, commented that the reason the actors wouldn’t be back was mainly a narrative problem: it wouldn’t make sense to bring these characters back or just leave the protagonists in the previous film in the background.
Hannah Waddingham, from the cast of Ted Lasso, has been confirmed as a new face for the sequel; her character appeared in the trailer and is called The Witch, but there is no additional information about her. From her actions in the trailer (she gives the sisters a spellbook when they were 16 years old) it appears in flashback that she attaches great importance to the story.
In Hocus pocus 2, three young women accidentally bring the Sanderson sisters back to modern-day Salem. The girls will have to figure out how to stop them before much damage is done. Fans can’t wait to see the Sanderson sisters back on the small screen, accompanied by two musical numbers. Here’s a list of the characters returning and the new ones to know what to expect from this anticipated movie.
Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler)
There would be no Hocus Pocus without Winifred Sanderson, played by the one and only Bette Midler. The oldest, sharpest, and meanest of the three Sanderson sisters is back. Winifred is the cleverly capable leader of her little coven and will do anything (including berating her sisters for incompetent behavior) to get what she wants. It’s safe to assume she’s worse than ever, and that will certainly make for an entertaining watch.
Sarah Sanderson (Sarah Jessica Parker)
The charming but frankly dumb sister, Sarah Sanderson (played by the beautiful Sarah Jessica Parker) is back for another night of misadventures. Sarah likes to flirt with guys all the time, even when she’s in the middle of an important mission. She’s definitely one of the weak links between her sisters, but she gets the job done and can have some fun in the process – even if Winifred doesn’t agree with her methods.
Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy)
The final link in the Sanderson trio, Mary Sanderson (played by the very funny Kathy Najimy) is back. Najimy is no stranger to funny characters (Sister Act, The Wedding Planner, Cattle, King of the Hill), and Mary is one of the funniest with her clumsiness and inability to notice simple things. She gets on her sisters’ nerves just as much as it does on hers. She’s closest to Sarah, as Winnifred always yells at them for doing what she asked wrong, and Mary balances her sisters’ diametrical opposites with warm humor.
Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones)
Walt Disney Pictures
Winifred’s ex-boyfriend and one of the main characters helping the young kids in the first movie (despite being quite terrifying), Billy Butcher is back. The silent, undead figure played by Doug Jones (in one of his many masterful performances as a monstrous character, along with Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth, Star Trek: Discovery, and The shape of water) will return to help torment the Sanderson Sisters. He was probably one of the movie’s boldest picks, so his comeback makes perfect sense.
Thackery Binx
It was said that the original voice actor, Jason Marsden, will not be back for the talking black cat. However, there is evidence that creative decisions may have been made where: bring him back in unusual ways. Audiences will have to wait for the film to be released to understand what that means, but that only heightens anticipation for the sequel.
Becca (Whitney Peak)
The Sanderson sisters must be magically returned, and that’s where newcomer Becca, played by Whitney Peak, comes in to play. The character of Becca is currently in high school and will be one of the protagonists of the sequel. Her friends Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie will help her in her adventure against the witches as they were together when they bring them back to life. Peak was in a few other horror-related projects, such as: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.
Mayor Traske (Tony Hale)
The city’s mayor, Mayor Traske, is played by comedian-actor Tony Hale. Mayor Trask also has a daughter, Cassie (Lilia Buckingham), the most popular girl in school, one of Becca’s friends. The actor is known for his comedic roles, especially in the major American television shows Arrested Development and Veep. There are no released photos of the actor in the film.
Gilbert (Sam Richardson)
Gilbert, played by Sam Richardson, is one of the new townspeople. He owns the bookshop that contains much more than just books: magic, called the Salem Magic Shoppe. From what we know about Hocus pocus 2the character is reported to have a sweet bromance with none other than Billy Butcherson.
Richardson is known for his roles in Ted Lasso (who co-played Hocus pocus 2 star Hannah Waddingham) and Veep (who co-played with the aforementioned Tony Hale). There are no released photos of the actor in the film, but he kind of looks like his cute, slightly nerdy self in everything he does (including the phenomenal horror comedy Werewolves inside).
cobweb
Unfortunately, the talking cat Binx won’t quite return for the sequel (and neither will his voice actor). But don’t despair, there’s a new feline companion for the latest adventure: the black cat Cobweb. Another change from the first film is that the cat doesn’t want to talk, as the director confirmed. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be a real witch movie without a black cat, even if it’s not a talking one. He lives in Gilbert’s shop and should add the right Halloween touch to Hocus pocus 2.
The Witch (Hannah Waddingham)
Hannah Waddingham has a history of playing a witch, in critically acclaimed London productions of both In the woods and The Wizard of Oz on stage, so portraying an in Hocus Pocus 2 will be a lot of fun for her and the audience for sure. She is the one responsible for giving the Sanderson sisters a magical spellbook when they were 16, which was 370 years before the events of this movie. Able to transform into other creatures and decked out in a gorgeous royal red dress, Waddingham looks extremely powerful and seductive here, and the crowd can’t wait.