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• DVD & Streaming

Hocus Pocus 2

• Comedy , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson; Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson; Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson; Whitney Peak as Becca; Belissa Escobedo as Izzy; Lilia Buckingham as Cassie; Froy Gutierrez as Mike; Sam Richardson as Gilbert; Tony Hale as Mayor Traske; Doug Jones as Billy Butcherson

Home Release Date

• September 30, 2022
• Anne Fletcher

Distributor

Movie review.

Legend has it that if a virgin lights the Black Flame Candle on All Hallow’s Eve during a full moon, the Sanderson Sisters will rise again, wreaking havoc upon Salem, eating the souls of every child.

“It’s all just a bunch of hocus pocus,” Max said, 29 years ago.

And despite his little sister, Dani, begging him not to, he lit the candle, causing the witches to rise and nearly causing the death of every kid in Salem.

I say nearly because Max, Dani, Allison (Max’s crush) and Thackery Binx (a boy who was transformed into an immortal cat by the sisters after they murdered his own little sister) managed to stop the Sandersons before they could fulfill their evil plot.

Now, nearly three decades later, Becca doesn’t believe the legend either (probably because she and the other teenagers of Salem weren’t even alive when the sisters returned the first time).

All Becca wants to do is celebrate her 16 th birthday with her two best friends, Izzy and Cassie, by performing a ritual for blessings over the new year and having a scary-movie marathon.

Only Cassie isn’t interested in this childish tradition. She stopped hanging out with the girls after she started dating Mike. And he’d rather throw a Halloween party for everyone in their grade.

So Becca and Izzy go it alone. Becca lights a candle, and the girls begin to speak their wishes.

Then something happens.

The candle begins to spark like a firework. Becca quickly extinguishes it with water, but then it relights itself.

And the flame is now black .

The wind kicks up. The ground shakes and splits. The moon goes completely dark. And the Sanderson Sisters rise up from their graves once more.

Lock up your children, Salem. Because the witches are back …

Positive Elements

When push comes to shove, Becca and her friends protect one another. And they eventually apologize for ignoring each other, too. They also convince some other characters to do the right thing.

Mike learns the hard way that pointing out people’s differences and calling them “weird” is the same as making fun of them (even though he thought he was just making conversation). And he begins to apologize to all the people he might have hurt in this manner.

Two teens are rightfully disciplined for causing a disturbance in class during a test. Another is grounded for disobeying her dad and throwing an unsupervised party.

The Sanderson Sisters, for all their wickedness, do love each other dearly. And their quest for eternal life (while problematic) is fueled by their desire never to be apart.

Spiritual Elements

It’s no secret that the Sanderson Sisters’ beliefs and abilities are rooted in the occult. In the previous film, they worshiped a man dressed as Satan for Halloween, believing him to be their “Master,” and we see flashbacks to that scene in this film. Several characters reference the devil, and a few of them dress up as the devil for Halloween (as well as witches, monsters and the like).

Even as a child, Winifred (the eldest Sanderson) stood in opposition to the Church. She openly rebuked the reverend of Salem and was eventually banished for her sins. And centuries later, she still shows no remorse, “relish[ing] in her petulances,” we hear.

The witches use their powers in a variety of ways. One witch causes lightning to rain down from the sky upon Salem. Another transforms herself into a crow. Some witches use their powers to form protective shields. Others create dark altars with objects such as a petrified spider and “the head of a lover.” We hear that the Sandersons are planning to use a spell to turn a boy into a cat; we also know that they used this spell on a different boy. The witches fly on household cleaning tools (such as brooms).

Winifred is told as a child that a witch is nothing without her coven, and she’s encouraged to care for her sisters (since they are her coven). Becca and her friends form a coven of their own in rebellion against the Sandersons.

The Sandersons get their spells and potions from a magical, sentient book. It has a single eye on the cover, and it can fly and turn its pages on its own.

The Sandersons also have the ability to enchant people with song. (The lyrics of some of these songs celebrate their “sins” and “wickedness.”) And one of these songs specifically targets children, luring them to their deaths.

In the previous film, Winifred used magic to raise her boyfriend, Billy Butcherson, from the dead. In this film, Billy rises from his grave again, explaining that because nobody broke the spell that turned him into a zombie, he simply sat in his grave for the past 29 years. [ Spoiler Warning ] In this film, Billy is properly put to rest.

Several characters use salt as a defense against the Sandersons’ dark magic.

Becca and Izzy (and presumably Cassie as well in previous years), pray to the pagan Triple Goddess (Maiden, Mother and Crone) as a part of Becca’s birthday “ritual.” A few people grow upset with them for messing with occult stuff since it causes the return of the Sandersons.

We hear about other magical spells and potions. A magic shop sells replica occult items and New Age products, such as crystals. Becca uses many of these items. We hear that witches’ powers manifest at age 16.

[ Spoiler Warning ] Gilbert, the owner of Salem’s “Olde Magic Shoppe” practically worships the Sanderson Sisters, creating a new Black Flame Candle for Becca to bring the sisters back.

Sexual Content

Several drag queens dress up as the Sanderson Sisters for Halloween. We see a gay couple watching the original Hocus Pocus on TV.

After being told about the Sanderson legend, a child asks what a virgin is. And an adult, unsure of what to say, replies it’s a person who’s never lit a candle before. Later, this same man says he couldn’t light the Black Flame Candle since he’s not a virgin, grossing out the teenagers present.

Sarah Sanderson, the youngest sister, wears a dress that often exposes her garters and cleavage. (And though her character doesn’t fraternize with any men, unlike the previous film, she still likes to put herself on display and to be thought of as beautiful.) Characters dressed up like the Sandersons for Halloween sometimes have revealing costumes. A woman wears the same risqué Madonna costume that Max and Dani’s mom wore in the previous film.

In the previous film, we hear that Billy cheated on Winifred with Sarah. In this film, we learn this isn’t the truth. Though Winifred considered Billy to be her “soulmate,” she only ever shared a single kiss with him.

Violent Content

As a child (before she became a witch) Sarah is nearly killed by an older witch, who tries to feed Sarah a potion that will then allow the witch to consume Sarah’s soul and youth. (And flashbacks show the Sandersons as adult witches killing a child in this same manner.) We hear more references to this potion throughout the film, and several witches casually talk about killing and eating children.

We see several witches using their powers to zap people. The more powerful the witch, the more painful the zap. Witches also use their powers to throw people around, sometimes hurting them. We hear about a witch who poisoned her boyfriend and sewed his mouth shut after she caught him cheating on her.

The Sandersons vow to kill any teenagers they meet (and threaten to murder many others). Mary Sanderson (the middle sister) threatens to “fricassee” someone. The Sandersons are delighted when they learn that a certain spell requires the blood of their enemy (and Winifred uses her long, sharp nails to nick Cassie’s neck for a drop of blood). Winifred is sometimes violent toward her sisters, smacking Sarah across the face at one point.

A flashback shows the Sanderson Sisters with nooses around their necks. (And the camera shot that follows shows their legs dangling off the ground as they had been hanged.)

Becca and her friends throw rocks at the Sandersons. Though he’s technically dead, Billy occasionally loses body parts, such as his hand and his head.

A girl storms through a crowd, knocking things out of people’s hands and shoving them aside. Winifred breaks a plate in anger. Three young girls are roughly handled by townsfolk trying to separate their family. A boy faints and falls to the ground.

Crude or Profane Language

A young Winifred takes delight in the fact that she took the Lord’s name in vain twice . We hear nearly 15 other misuses of God’s name. In one scene, Puritans are scandalized by these outbursts.

We hear a single use of “d–n.” Characters repeatedly substitute the word “b–ch” for witch. Someone exclaims, “Holy Lucifer!” Other insults are exchanged.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Several teens attend an unsupervised party, though it’s unclear if their yellow Solo cups contain alcohol or not.

Other Negative Elements

Even before Winifred and her sisters dabbled in the dark arts, the people of Salem called them “wicked” and “witches.” They specifically called Winifred ugly, and many were angered by her pro-female stance (she’s scolded for turning down an arranged marriage and speaking ill of her would-be betrothed). And it’s perhaps because of this mistreatment and rejection that the Sandersons acted as badly as they did.

We learn that the Sanderson Sisters were orphaned at a young age. And when a young Winifred refuses to obey Salem’s reverend, he tries to take Mary and Sarah out of her custody (though the girls escape).

Winifred is domineering over her sisters even though they are good to her. She often puts her own wants and desires before theirs. And it’s clear Sarah and Mary wish she appreciated them more.

A girl says something is based on the “patriarchal fear of female aging.”

Characters lie and break promises. Some act cowardly. Winifred ignores several warnings not to do a dangerous spell and pays the price for it. A teenage girl throws a party even though her dad specifically forbade it. Some teens are rude about their friend’s mom. Some teens are mean to each other.

Someone passes gas. We hear a cat is “scared poopless.” The Sanderson Sisters eat and drink beauty products (not realizing they are supposed to be applied topically).

Oh yes, the Sanderson Sisters are back. Only this time, consuming the souls of Salem’s children won’t be enough. Now, they’ve vowed to become the most powerful witches ever . And they want to destroy all of Salem’s citizens.

The spiritual content found here pretty much falls in line with what we saw in the original Hocus Pocus back in 1993. That is to say, it’s a story played for dark laughs that’s full to the witch cauldron’s brim of spooky spirituality. The result is a sequel that takes the original’s occult themes and amplifies them.

The Sandersons, by their own admission, are evil . Yes, Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker (who played the trio of sisters in the original film as well) can be pretty hilarious. But they worship Satan. And they’re using what’s specifically labeled as “dark” magic to conjure enough power to kill all the people of Salem.

Sexual content isn’t graphic, but again, like the predecessor, we hear awkward conversations about virginity among young teens. Meanwhile, some LGBT characters (including drag queens) make an appearance as well.

Language concerns are relatively minor, but a young Winifred Sanderson boasts about taking the Lord’s name in vain twice . And even though someone calls this abuse “blasphemy,” God’s name is repeatedly and casually misused throughout the rest of the film. To me, those profanities further demonstrate the filmmakers’ blatant disregard for the sanctity of His name.

And it’s a shame that the film’s only truly redeeming quality also comes from its villains . The Sanderson Sisters love each other. Yes, Winifred finds Mary and Sarah to be infuriating at times, but she never wants to be apart from them either.

Becca, Izzy and Cassie, though technically the heroes, have a weak storyline by comparison. Their own redemption arc is overshadowed by the fact that they act like immature and spoiled teenagers through most of the film.

And frankly, they don’t hold a Black Flame Candle to the Sandersons.

So while Hocus Pocus 2 might seem like spooky PG silliness for some, its “unholy mischief” offers plenty of reasons for families to steer clear of this sequel’s occult imagery, ideas and worldview.

Emily Tsiao

Emily studied film and writing when she was in college. And when she isn’t being way too competitive while playing board games, she enjoys food, sleep, and geeking out with her husband indulging in their “nerdoms,” which is the collective fan cultures of everything they love, such as Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate and Lord of the Rings.

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The 1993 Disney movie “ Hocus Pocus ” is the story of three witch sisters who were executed in Salem in 1693 and returned to create havoc 300 years later on Halloween. It is more than a classic; it is a cultural touchstone. Moderately successful on its first release, it became a phenomenon on home video and cable and is now an annual tradition for many families, with parents who loved it in the '90s sharing it with the next generation. Disney hit just the right spot between spooky and silly, with Bette Midler , Sarah Jessica Parker , and Kathy Najimy as a sort of witchy Three Stooges. Midler's Winifred was the Moe-like short-tempered ringleader, Parker was a fluttery, Curly-like scatterbrain named Sarah, and Najimy was Mary, the Larry of the trio, never quite making anything work, but sure that she's nailing it.

Nearly 30 years later, “Hocus Pocus 2” should make fans of all generations happy, paying tribute to the original and adding some gentle updating and some welcome diversity, subtracting some violence. It is also a little bit sweeter. The adult cast from the first movie includes always-terrific Doug Jones , the brilliant actor behind the creature in “ The Shape of Water ” and Abe in “Hellboy,” as the hapless zombie Billy Butcherson. Welcome new additions include comic powerhouses Tony Hale and Sam Richardson and all-around powerhouse “Ted Lasso’s” Hannah Waddingham . 

The first movie was about the relationships between brothers and sisters (with a little teen romance); this one is about friendship. And we get a bit of an origin story. After an aerial opening shot referring back to the original "Hocus Pocus," we see the Sanderson sisters as young girls. First, we see the Pilgrim community scurrying out of the way as Winnie stomps furiously through the town. Young Winnie is played by Taylor Henderson , complete with wild red hair and buck teeth. Her witty rendition of Midler’s alpha witch is sharp and funny. The local clergyman, Reverend Traske (Tony Hale) has decided that since the Sanderson parents are dead, Winnie must marry a young man from the village and the younger girls will be sent to live with another family. Winnie refuses, and the girls run away to the forbidden forest, where they meet a very glamorous witch (Waddingham) who gives them one of the key props from the first movie, the book of spells with a human eyeball on the cover that really opens, and, I guess, sees.

In present day, high school students Becca ( Whitney Peak ) and Izzy ( Belissa Escobedo ) are getting ready for their Halloween tradition, Becca’s birthday sleepover. This year it will have to be without their other friend Cassie ( Lilia Buckingham ), who has not been a part of the group lately because she’s been spending all her time with her boyfriend. Becca and Izzy like to experiment with magic and spend a lot of time at the local magic store run by Gilbert (Richardson). He gives them the other key prop from the first movie, a black candle, and, just like in the first movie, even though they are well aware of the Sanderson sisters legend, they light it. (The virginity requirement to activate the candle’s power to bring back the witches is joked about but not explained.)

And so, the Sandersons return on Halloween night, as costumed partygoers and trick-or-treaters are out celebrating, led by the town’s jolly mayor, who is also Cassie’s very strict father. He is a descendant of Reverend Traske and again played by Hale. The witches want revenge on Traske, and, as in the first film, they want to inhale the essence of children so they can have eternal youth.

The challenge for the sequel to a beloved film is maintaining enough of the original to make the fans happy without being too repetitive or confusing newcomers, and “Hocus Pocus 2” gets that just right. The highlights of the first film are celebrated (there’s a delightful musical number) and there are some very funny moments, including a Sanderson sisters costume competition. It is not a spoiler to say that smart, brave, and loyal teenagers get more comic treats than tricks. So does the audience. NOTE: Watch all the way to the end of the credits for an extra scene.

Available on Disney+ on September 30th.

Nell Minow is the Contributing Editor at RogerEbert.com.

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Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)

Rated PG for action, macabre/suggestive humor and some language.

105 minutes

Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson

Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson

Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson

Whitney Peak as Becca

Lilia Buckingham as Cassie

Belissa Escobedo as Izzy

Froy Gutierrez as Mike

Doug Jones as Billy Butcherson

Tony Hale as Mayor Traske

Sam Richardson as Gilbert

Hannah Waddingham as The Witch

Juju Journey Brener as Young Sarah Sanderson

Taylor Henderson as Young Winifred Sanderson

David Torres Jr. as Teacher

Ginger Minj as Drag Queen of Winifred Sanderson

Skyla Sousa as Teen Winifred

Aiden Torres as Teen Mary

Emma Kaufman as Teen Sarah

Ryan Rosenthal as Glenn

• Anne Fletcher

Writer (based on characters created by)

• David Kirschner
• Mick Garris

Writer (story by)

• Blake Harris
• Jen D'Angelo

Cinematographer

• Elliot Davis
• John Debney

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‘hocus pocus 2’ review: the sanderson sisters are back in disney+’s nostalgia-heavy sequel.

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprise their roles in the follow-up to the 1993 film about a group of kids who accidentally revive a powerful coven of witches.

By Lovia Gyarkye

Lovia Gyarkye

Arts & Culture Critic

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Twenty-nine years ago, the Sanderson sisters, an abrasive trio of siblings, put a spell on Disney audiences. Or at least they tried to.

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Bette midler calls sitcom 'bette' a "big, big mistake", caitlin clark's wnba debut to stream on disney+, hocus pocus 2.

Hocus Pocus 2 , the highly anticipated sequel to the original Disney film, honors its history without knowing quite how to move beyond it. Directed by Anne Fletcher, the live-action comedy film bears the markings of a struggle between embracing existing fans and courting new ones. Recycled plot points, jaunts down memory lane and knowing winks at the broader fandom are rolled into the type of sleek CGI package that’s typical of Disney offerings these days. The result is a thin but satisfactory piece of entertainment.

What’s most interesting about Hocus Pocus 2 (besides its utility as a lesson in how you can’t bottle and resell nostalgia) is its star trio: Midler, Parker and Najimy reprise their roles with the same energetic kookiness that made Hocus Pocus beloved. You can tell they’re having fun. 

The film opens with a flashback. Winifred Sanderson (Taylor Henderson) has just turned 16, the age at which a young woman finds out if she is a witch and, according to the colonial patriarchy, should wed. Winnie doesn’t know about the first part and is unhappy about the second. We see her storm into the house where she lives with her sisters, Sarah (Juju Journey Brener) and Mary (Nina Kitchen). There are slivers of the trio’s adult personalities — Winnie’s bossiness, Sarah’s docility and Mary’s acerbic asides — which keep this flashback from feeling exclusively perfunctory. 

Fast-forward to the present day and the Sandersons, as we know from Hocus Pocus , haven’t been seen in years. It’s Halloween again. The story of their defeat at the hands of three kids 29 years ago has been added to town lore. Becca (Whitney Peak), Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) are struggling with their friendship now that Cassie has a boyfriend (Froy Gutierrez). Becca plans to celebrate her 16th birthday party without Cassie, who she accidentally finds out is throwing a Halloween party at the same time. The three friends, obsessed with magic, once enjoyed a tradition of casting spells and toying with charms at their favorite spot deep in the woods. Not so much anymore. 

After a tense moment between the three, Becca and Izzy proceed with their own plans. They visit a local magic shop run by Gilbert (Sam Richardson), a nerdy magic enthusiast obsessed with the Sanderson sisters (for reasons I won’t spoil here). He takes it upon himself to regale Salem’s youngest residents with stories about their lives. As a gift to Becca, Gilbert gives the teen a charmed candle — except he doesn’t tell them that. When Becca and Izzy light it at their secret spot under the glow of the full moon, they, like their predecessors in Hocus Pocus , revive the witches. 

In order to distract the sisters from feeding on their souls, Becca and Izzy take them to Walgreens where they promise youth in the form of retinol. In one of Hocus Pocus 2 ’s funniest bits, the sisters feast in the skincare aisle, drinking anti-aging elixirs and nibbling on face masks. They also run into a group of fans who ask to take a selfie, introducing the centuries-old witches to the power of Instagram filters. 

Midler, Parker and Najimy have an electric presence on screen, their chemistry virtually unchanged in the decades between films. Their scenes are the most consistently enjoyable of Hocus Pocus 2 — the moments when it feels like everyone behind and in front of the camera are under their enchanting spell. The sisters slink and snake their way through Salem on Halloween night, making quips and jokes about the oddities of contemporary life with their signature sharp tongues and quick wit. They still have a thirst for evil and a disdain for children, but their bite is dulled by the film’s interest in softening them. 

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Hocus Pocus 2 Reviews

There is a lot to enjoy about the sequel, even for stubborn fanatics of the Kenny Ortega feature film.

Full Review | Oct 2, 2023

While there are plenty of fan service nods to its 1993 predecessor, “Hocus Pocus 2” stands capably on its own, offering a spooky diversion for a whole new generation of viewers.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 9, 2023

A surprisingly good sequel that contains heart, laughs, & fun! If you enjoy the first you’re gonna enjoy this one

Full Review | Jul 25, 2023

The Sanderson Sisters are back in hilariously campy and gripping force, making Hocus Pocus 2 an emotionally gratifying flight.

Full Review | Jul 23, 2023

Dinsey's long-awaited Hocus Pocus 2 has arrived, but in a strange turn of events, it's derailed by its fixation on the Sanderson Sisters.

Full Review | Jan 9, 2023

Hocus Pocus 2 is brimming with hijinks, fun music numbers, and laughs. Unfortunately, the plot is the weakest link in this film.

Full Review | Original Score: 6.5/10 | Jan 4, 2023

If you enjoyed the cheesiness & shenanigans of the Sanderson sisters you'll appreciate this one as well. A lot of easter eggs and similar moments that will surprise you. But in terms of adding to the story or adding stacks that is non-existent here

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Dec 27, 2022

This sequel has a strong screenplay, coherent dramatic progression, strong characters, and surprising twists, but it's missing the spark that made its predecessor legendary. [Full review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 5, 2022

It will most likely please kids looking for some spooky vibes as the Halloween season arrives (and I would say this one is a bit less scary for young ones than the first might have been) which is probably what Disney was hoping for.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Nov 30, 2022

Despite its marginal issues, the film is a great watch for fans of the original or a whole new generation ready to be bewitched by the Sanderson sisters.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Nov 3, 2022

Hocus Pocus 2 is like pulling out that year-old candy from last Halloween and being mildly surprised it doesn’t taste that bad.

Full Review | Oct 29, 2022

Double, double toil and trouble/ Fire burn and cauldron bubble./ Hocus Pocus' sequel stumbles/ in a plot that often crumbles./ While not awful, tis a struggle.

Full Review | Oct 27, 2022

There’s life in the old Mouse yet. Because the Sanderson Sisters — and their sequel — are, quite simply, wicked.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 23, 2022

Hocus Pocus 2 isn’t here to convert anyone. If the first movie isn’t on your radar, then it’s unlikely this will be either. However, for the many who made it a spooky season classic, it’s a delicious work of fan service that will cast a spell on you.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 18, 2022

There's lots of mayhem, silliness, and wonderful comic bits.

Full Review | Oct 14, 2022

Of course, it’s campy and fun. But despite lines about eating children, or teenagers, to achieve immortality, these witches are completely defanged.

A delightfully breezy sequel that knows the Sanderson sisters are the main draw and rightfully gives them the spotlight, even though this results in pretty slight characterizations for its teen protagonists

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 13, 2022

While the witches do manage to put a spell on us, their bewitching skills have taken a serious hit courtesy of a plot that doesn’t even try to find its footing.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Oct 12, 2022

Way better than any 29-years-later sequel has any right to be, Hocus Pocus 2 is a delightful, if slight, time.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Oct 11, 2022

The sequel has plenty of Easter eggs and nods to the original, but there's definitely some magic missing.

Full Review | Oct 11, 2022

Hocus Pocus 2 - Review

The witch is back, and there’s much more than hell to pay..

Almost 20 years ago, the original Hocus Pocus debuted to lackluster reviews and limited financial returns. Thankfully, you can’t keep a bad witch down. After becoming a beloved cult favorite over the years, the Sanderson Sisters have returned with all new mischievous plans, and they’ve brought a brand new cast along with them. It may be cursed with some shoddy greenscreen, but it still reminds us how these witches were able to cast a spell on us in the first place.

2022’s sequel follows Becca (Whitney Peak), Izzy (Belissa Escobedo), and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) as they fight to keep Salem safe from the series’ original witches, Winifred (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker). We also meet enthusiastic new players like the wonderful Gilbert (Sam Richardson) and see the return of old favorites like Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones). The original cast step into their former roles like they’re well broken-in witch boots, and all the new players make admirable additions to the Hocus Pocus franchise.

Hannah Waddingham is, of course, absolutely brilliant as the Witch Mother. Unfortunately, she just so happens to be criminally underused.

Now that that’s been addressed, let’s talk about Hocus Pocus 2’s biggest issue: it’s not filmed in Salem. Now, plenty of films don’t shoot on location. Even the original Hocus Pocus was shot mostly on a soundstage in Los Angeles while graveyard and other exterior shots took place in Massachusetts. The reason it’s a problem here is because it looks like it wasn’t filmed in Salem. It’s wonderfully nostalgic that Hocus Pocus 2 feels like the Disney Channel Original Movies of yore, but the fact that it looks like one in 2022 is pretty rough. The most egregious example is the moonlit forest backdrop that takes up much of the third act. You’ll know it when you see it.

Outside of some ugly greenscreen work (and a complete lack of cobblestone in what’s meant to be historic downtown Salem), Hocus Pocus 2 has some fun attention to detail. For example, the town’s Mayor Traske is noted to have ties to the Salem Witch Trials, and the family does! (Though their name was spelled Trask. Anyway, Bridget Bishop: Innocent.) Meanwhile, there are some nice witchy details like the use of angelica leaves to lift curses. It’s really the root that’s used for protection, but as IGN’s Resident Witch I am letting it slide. Finally, Waddingham’s Witch Mother tells a young Winnifred that “one day, Salem will belong to us.” And it does. Today, up to 1,600 of Salem’s population identify as witches, and you can’t throw a stone downtown without hitting a shop devoted to or celebrating the craft.

Hocus Pocus 2 is all about the power of the coven. Some folks might call it trite or twee, but I personally find it hard to root against a story about sisterhood even if it may be guilty of a little fluff. Besides, who cares about the quest for ultimate power if you can’t take your sisters along with you? Who will you sing magical bops with if they’re not there to back you up? What are you gonna do, bewitch an entire town by yourself?!

The original cast return to remind us why Hocus Pocus became a cult classic.

Legacy sequels will, of course, always get compared to their predecessors, but it’s practically apples and oranges with Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2. They both have the same leading ladies, but the two focus on completely different things otherwise. The original was all about its non-witch human characters like Max, Dani, and Allison. Meanwhile, though Hocus Pocus 2 does give Becca, Izzy, and Cassie their fair share of relevant screen time, this one feels like it’s more for the Sanderson Sisters. Whether you believe that’s for cynical, merch-selling reasons or because of the uptick in stories told from the “villain” perspective is up to you. Either way, it works for the story and complements the new player’s narrative arc quite nicely. Plus, the focus on the Sanderson Sisters means we get way more musical moments than we did in the first movie! The main number is the show stopper, but their other songs are fun enough.

Like the original, Hocus Pocus 2 leaves things open for another sequel. That doesn’t really feel necessary with where things close out, but it is a nice homage to the final scene from the 1993 movie. Only time will tell if this is the last we see of the Sanderson Sisters and Becca’s circle but, for now, it was a happy enough return to Salem.

Amelia is the entertainment Streaming Editor here at IGN. She's also a film and television critic who spends too much time talking about dinosaurs, superheroes, and folk horror. You can usually find her with her dog, Rogers. There may be cheeseburgers involved. Follow her across social @ThatWitchMia

The Verdict

The Sanderson Sisters are back and the cost is a lot steeper than hell this time. The original cast return to remind us why Hocus Pocus became a cult classic, and new players give fans being introduced to the franchise wonderful characters to cheer on, although Hannah Waddingham should have been given more to do. Some shoddy greenscreen work pulls Hocus Pocus 2 down, but otherwise it feels like a Disney Channel Original Movie in a charming way.

Hocus Pocus 2

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Hocus Pocus 2 review: that old black magic, new again

Director Kenny Ortega’s 1993 film Hocus Pocus wasn’t a hit when it was first released, but history has been kind to it, and turned it into a Halloween tradition of sorts for children of a particular generation (and their children, in many cases). And because this is a time when everything old is eventually new again — particularly if it’s gained the sort of post-release popularity Hocus Pocus has enjoyed — Disney has decided to bring the sorcerous Sanderson sisters back for another adventure in Hocus Pocus 2 .

Hocus Pocus 2 conjures up original cast members Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson, respectively, the trio of witches who were accidentally resurrected in the 1993 film and terrorized the town of Salem before being defeated by a group of precocious teenagers and a magical black cat. This time around, the film features Step Up and  27 Dresses director Anne Fletcher behind the camera, and follows another group of Salem teenagers who unwittingly unleash the Sanderson sisters on the town again, 29 years after the events of the original film.

Fans of the 1993 film will find plenty to like about  Hocus Pocus 2 , which manages to channel much of the same energy, humor, and seasonal playfulness of its predecessor.

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Midler, Parker, and Najimy are nearly three decades separated from their performances in the first film, but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the way they jump back into the roles in Hocus Pocus 2 . The trio have an easy chemistry in both films, from the way they move, sing, and dance together, to their sisterly banter as they scheme, argue, commiserate, and celebrate. Much like the original film, the teenagers might be the story’s heroes, but the Sanderson sisters are the real stars of Hocus Pocus 2 .

Hocus Pocus 2 also does a fine job of avoiding the pitfalls some sequels encounter when attempting to add a new chapter to a film released several decades earlier. Rather than trying to recreate the original film in the current time or changing the characters to make them a better fit for a modern story,  Hocus Pocus 2 leans into the time-displaced nature of the Sanderson sisters’ return and how things have changed since their last adventure in the modern world. From the popularity of robot vacuums (as opposed to brooms) to the conveniences we take for granted now that would seem like entirely new magic to the Sandersons,  Hocus Pocus 2 and its screenwriter, Jen D’Angelo, find some clever ways to make the elapsed time between the two films part of the story.

And again, like the original film that featured some capable performances from its younger cast members — which included Emmy  and BAFTA nominee Thora Birch, among others — Hocus Pocus 2 also casts some capable young actors as its teenage heroes.

Gossip Girl actress Whitney Peak portrays Becca, who accidentally resurrects the Sanderson sisters in the film, and carries her role in the family-friendly adventure well, with just the sort of earnestness that Disney films of this sort demand. She’s joined by Lilia Buckingham and Belissa Escobedo as Becca’s best friends, Cassie and Izzy, respectively, along with Froy Gutierrez as Cassie’s dim-witted boyfriend. All four actors are fun to watch, and keep the story rolling along — and funny — when the Sanderson sisters are off-screen.

The film also brings in — and brings back — some familiar faces in entertaining roles, with legendary actor Doug Jones ( Pan’s Labyrinth , The Shape of Water ) reprising the role of undead Billy Butcherson, and phenomenal Ted Lasso  actress Hannah Waddingham portraying a key figure in the Sanderson sisters’ early years. Along with Tony Hale ( Arrested Development ) as the mayor of Salem, all three actors add even more entertainment value to a fun film.

While it remains to be seen if  Hocus Pocus 2 can conjure up the same sort of cult appeal as the original film, the sequel certainly doesn’t do anything to tarnish the legacy of the Sandersons sisters’ debut. Those who consider  Hocus Pocus a Halloween staple are likely to find themselves embracing this new, two-film saga with the Sandersons going forward, as the trio’s return gives audiences even more of a good thing.

Disney’s Hocus Pocus 2 premieres September 30 on Disney+ streaming service. 

Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)

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It appears that Disney has been holding out on us. For the first D23 Expo in three years, Walt Disney Pictures unveiled its ambitious plans to kick off the 100th anniversary of the studio with an array of original films (for both theatrical releases and Disney+) and new TV series. And Disney hasn't even gotten around to making its Marvel or Star Wars announcements yet!

The first day of D23 began with a look at the sequel to a classic flick that is coming to Disney+ on September 30: Hocus Pocus 2. Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker are all reprising their roles as the evil Sanderson Sisters from the original film. In the sequel, Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) are two teenage girls who are tricked into resurrecting the Sandersons, and the witches are out for revenge on all of Salem. The trailer also briefly introduces Doug Jones' Billy Butcherson, a good zombie who was cursed by the sisters.

Disney's live-action adaptations of the studio's classic, animated features have generally been hit-or-miss affairs. While some have managed to breathe new life into familiar stories, others have fallen flat, delivering cold cash grabs that never quite channel the magic of the films that inspired them.

Arriving on the Disney+ streaming service on September 8, the live-action Pinocchio falls into the latter category, and it really is a shame, because the Robert Zemeckis-directed film has plenty of potential to go along with its impressive cast.

There is a scene early on in Me Time, the new Netflix comedy from writer-director John Hamburg, that feels like a perfect encapsulation of the film itself. It goes a little like this: After making a series of impulsive decisions, a formerly adventurous stay-at-home dad (played by Kevin Hart) finds himself in the desert with only a bucket for a bathroom. When he goes to use the bucket for the first time, he suddenly finds himself alone in a stand-off with a hungry mountain lion.

The sequence’s premise is effectively simple, and Kevin Hart is more than capable of elevating the absurdity of the situation by leaning into his character’s understandable fear. The scene, therefore, shouldn’t have any problem delivering the laughs that it promises. Unfortunately, the mountain lion that Hart’s Sonny is forced to face off against just so happens to have been brought to life with some of the worst CGI you'll likely see in any film this year.

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Critic’s Pick

‘Hocus Pocus 2’ Review: Still Spelling Trouble

The Sanderson sisters return, bringing the same spooky humor with some modern twists.

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By Claire Shaffer

Disney’s “Hocus Pocus” is one of the company’s few true cult classics; after an initial negative reception when it was released in 1993, the Halloween-themed comedy starring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker as a trio of campy witch sisters gained a fan base through seasonal VHS rentals and repeated airings on ABC and the Disney Channel. And while its new sequel, “Hocus Pocus 2,” may be a blatant attempt by Disney to continue propping up its streaming platform Disney+ ( where the movie has its debut ), it manages to capture the same hokey magic of the original while creatively updating its humor.

In a slight retread of the first film’s plot, “Hocus Pocus 2” follows two present-day Salem teenagers, Becca and Izzy (Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo), who accidentally bring the witchy Sanderson sisters back to life while performing their yearly Halloween night ritual. (The teens’ interest in witchcraft and the occult is benign, a very 2022 detail that might not have come across the same way 30 years ago.) High jinks ensue as the girls race to stop the witches from kidnapping the town’s genial mayor (Tony Hale) and casting an immortality spell that would make them all-powerful, while also making amends with their former friend, the mayor’s daughter, Cassie (Lilia Buckingham).

Anne Fletcher (“Step Up,” “The Proposal”) directs this sequel, but follows the same goofy comedic approach of the Kenny Ortega-directed first film — namely, how the sisters react to modern inventions like robot vacuums, Amazon’s Alexa and Walgreens. Even a few meta-jokes nod to the Sanderson sisters’ popularity in the world of drag. Thankfully, with a cast rounded out by Doug Jones, Hannah Waddingham and Sam Richardson, the brew-haha’s aren’t solely concentrated in the three leads.

Hocus Pocus 2 Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes. Watch on Disney+ .

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'Hocus Pocus 2' Review: Disney Plus Sequel Gets You in the Halloween Mood

The Sanderson Sisters are back for another Disney Plus reboot, streaming now.

Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker are back, witches.

Sisters! All Hallow's Eve has become a night of frolic, where children wear costumes and run amok -- and watch sequels to '90s movies on Disney Plus . Spooky sequel Hocus Pocus 2 is Disney's latest nostalgia-mining archive raid, reuniting witches Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy from the outrageous 1993 comedy.

Streaming now on Disney Plus, Hocus Pocus 2 begins promisingly. Like the original, it starts in the distant past -- but where the first movie began with a small child murdered and three women lynched (quite a kickoff for a family movie), the sequel goes back to 1653 for the origin story of the young Sanderson sisters annoying the puritanical townsfolk of Salem, Massachusetts. It's a fun opener that suggests all involved understand the assignment, particularly an eye-flashing Taylor Henderson as a young Winifred (complete with distinctive dentistry).

Cut to present-day Salem. It's Halloween, but more importantly, a birthday, a boyfriend and a banned bash are causing drama for three school friends. The teen angst pales into insignificance when they inadvertently resurrect Winifred, Mary and Sarah, played with familiar over-the-top relish by Midler, Najimy and Parker. Once again those three spend the night causing trouble in the modern world, with the magical stakes higher than ever.

The first Hocus Pocus was a cackling cauldron of camp chaos, and that's where the sequel excels: The three original stars zap back into their roles as if they've been conjured straight from the original (seriously, watch both movies back to back). They seem to be having a rollicking old time, hilariously stalking through the frame as one and firing off zingers with relish. SJP in particular steals countless frames with her comic capering in the background. In at least one scene the trio's laughter seems real.

And it's campy as all get out, of course. The original film was apparently something of a flop, but has taken on a new life as a Halloween tradition for kids and adults. Led by Anne Fletcher, director of Step Up, 27 Dresses, Hot Pursuit and Dumplin', the makers of Hocus Pocus 2 know this all too well. The Sandersons launch into a fabulous but inexplicable musical number the moment they're resurrected (which leads to an excellent jump scare, so I'll allow it). Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham gives the three stars a run for their money in the vamp stakes, and the trio even crash a drag show surrounded by alumni of RuPaul's Drag Race done up as the infamous Sanderson sisters. Which is all a lot of fun.

Unfortunately, what should be a crisp 90-minute romp loses some of its sparkle in the second half. As the teen leads, Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo are engaging but have very little to work with. None of the new characters turn out to be that interesting, with Sam Richardson barely given any lines that qualify as jokes. Tony Hale especially is stuck in a thankless role as the town's deeply unfunny mayor whose main personality is a baffling running gag about toffee apples, or something.

As the story progresses, the anarchic energy of earlier scenes gets bogged down in boring Harry Potter-esque action/adventure, complete with dueling lightning blasts in an underlit forest. Possibly thrilling for modern youngsters raised on a diet of more intense peril than the original offered, but it does go on a bit.   

Like the recent Pinocchio (another Disney Plus retread), Hocus Pocus 2 is yet another modern film that's frustratingly murky. Day scenes fade under a desaturated palette that doesn't fit the colorful material at all, and night scenes are often too dark to see what's going on. Seriously, Disney, take that Mickey money and invest in some lights.

Minor quibbles, however. For all its flaws, it's a million miles better than previous seasonal Disney Plus '90s reboot, the utterly dismal  Home Sweet Home Alone . The reunited Midler, Najimy and Parker running amok (amok, amok, amok) bring enough of that ol' black magic to carry this whimsical caper and keep it from feeling like too much of a cash-in. There's even a touch of pathos added to the lives of the hilariously fiendish Sandersons. And if all else fails, the original still holds up.

Hocus Pocus 2 throws mostly the same ingredients into the cauldron, but it's still a powerful witches' brew. Come, we fly!

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Hocus Pocus 2

Two young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world. Two young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world. Two young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world.

• Anne Fletcher
• Jen D'Angelo
• David Kirschner
• Blake Harris
• Bette Midler
• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Kathy Najimy
• 734 User reviews
• 114 Critic reviews
• 56 Metascore
• 2 wins & 16 nominations total

• Winifred Sanderson

• Sarah Sanderson

• Mary Sanderson

• Billy Butcherson

• Young Winifred

• Young Sarah
• (as Juju Brener)

• John Pritchett
• Mr. Pritchett

• Townsperson

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia On the podcast Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum (2018) , Doug Jones said that the wig he wears as Billy Butcherson in this movie is the same one he wore in the first movie.
• Goofs Gilbert states that as a child, he witnessed the climatic finale of the first movie, but in said film, all the children of Salem were under Sarah's trance at this point, marching towards the Sanderson cottage. Gilbert is clearly capable of performing magic and therefore, it's possible, he may be immune, like the Sanderson Sisters.

Winifred Sanderson : [from trailer] Lock up your children! Yes, Salem, we're back!

• Crazy credits SPOILER: There is a scene after the closing credits: Cobweb the black cat jumps onto a shelf next to a box containing a second Black Flame candle.
• Connections Edited from Hocus Pocus (1993)
• Soundtracks Garden of Magic Written by James Horner , Brock Walsh Performed by Hannah Waddingham

User reviews 734

• martinrobbinsmr
• Oct 1, 2022
• How long is Hocus Pocus 2? Powered by Alexa
• September 30, 2022 (United States)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• Newport Rhode Island, USA (Washington Square, aka: Eisenhower Park and Touro Street)
• Walt Disney Pictures
• David Kirschner Productions
• The Walt Disney Company
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $100,000,000 (estimated)

Technical specs

• Runtime 1 hour 43 minutes
• Dolby Atmos
• Dolby Digital
• 12-Track Digital Sound
• Dolby Surround 7.1

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Hocus Pocus 2 Parent Guide

Far better than the original, this sequel sparkles thanks to a brilliant cast and good writing..

Disney+: Three young women accidently release the Sanderson Sisters back into modern day Salem. With the witches out for revenge, the girls must figure out a way to stop them before it's too late.

Release date September 30, 2022

Run Time: 103 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by savannah sillito.

Almost 30 years after their last escapades, the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) are accidently brought back to life by a group of friends just trying to have some spooky fun on Halloween. Having learned from their last experience, the three witches immediately set out to make a potion that will restore them to the land of the living forever…and hopefully find some tasty children to eat along the way.

I have no nostalgia for the original Hocus Pocus. Yes, I’m aware that makes me a bad Millennial. I never saw it as a kid and when I saw it as an adult, I just didn’t get the hype. Imagine my surprise when I loved the sequel! It’s much better than the original in my opinion, in multiple ways. First, the story is tighter and more kid appropriate. It doesn’t meander as much as the original and is less obsessed with virginity. Second, the child actors are far more tolerable than those in the original, who were distractingly bad. The main trio of teen girl actors are perfectly acceptable, but the real standouts are the child versions of the Sanderson sisters, who absolutely hit the characterizations out of the ballpark.

Another plus for Hocus Pocus 2 is that it’s much more child appropriate than the original. There’s no sexual innuendo, less swearing, and the whole “child sacrifice” angle has been toned down. There is still some slapstick magical violence and a surprising number of terms of deity, but other than that the film doesn’t have much else to worry about. It’s also a little less scary than the original. My five-year-old has watched both, and he was far less freaked out by the sequel.

If you’re looking for some laughs rather than scares for Halloween (and you would love to see Bette Midler sing a Blondie song) Disney has managed to conjure up some real magic with Hocus Pocus 2.

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Savannah sillito, watch the trailer for hocus pocus 2.

Hocus Pocus 2 Rating & Content Info

Why is Hocus Pocus 2 rated PG? Hocus Pocus 2 is rated PG by the MPAA for action, macabre/suggestive humor and some language.

Violence: There is some slapstick Halloween violence. The witches use magic and talk about killing children. A character smacks another character in the face. A character is hit on the head and knocked out. Sexual Content: There is a single joke about virgins. Profanity:   The script contains one mild profanity and approximately 20 terms of deity. There are some mild insults. Alcohol / Drug Use: None.

Page last updated January 20, 2024

Hocus Pocus 2 Parents' Guide

Why does Winifred give up her powers in the end? What does she realize is most important to her?

Loved this movie? Try these books…

A novelized version of this film is available for YA readers as Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel by A.W. Jantha and Matt Griffin.

Young readers who want to scare themselves with witchy tales can begin with Roald Dahl’s classic The Witches. The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill goes into the fictional world ofThe Protectorate where the townsfolk leave a baby for the witch every year – unaware that the witch is actually kind and determined to provide loving homes for the infants.

Elementary school aged readers will appreciate Anna Elizabeth Bennett’s gentle novel, Little Witch. The Worst Witch series by Jill Murphy is also a surefire hit with this age group.

Parents looking for classics can always dive into the Narnia series by CS Lewis or the Harry Potter books by JK Rowling. Both deliver plenty of adventure with solid messages about loyalty, sacrifice, and making moral choices.

Related home video titles:

This is a sequel to the original – and inferior – Hocus Pocus . More witchy fun can be found in Stardust, in which three witches want to find a star who fell to earth so they can eat her heart and become immortal. Roald Dahl’s The Witches stars Anne Hathaway as a child-hating witch who wants to turn children into animals. The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a gothic horror movie for kids (yes, it’s very scary) and it features Cate Blanchett as the witch next door. An orphan named Earwig is thrilled to be adopted until she learns the real identity of her new mother in Earwig and the Witch. The White Witch traps the kingdom of Narnia in a perpetual winter until she is challenged by four human children and a powerful lion in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The stop-motion animated movie Coraline features an alternate universe with a terrifying “other mother” that will scare kids spitless.

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Hocus Pocus 2 review – belated Halloween sequel is far from bewitching

Bette Midler returns with her child-killing sisters in a disappointingly flat follow-up that tries too hard to soften the villains

F or certain millennials of a certain age (myself, perhaps , included), there’s something fittingly ritualistic about the consumption of 1993 witchcraft comedy Hocus Pocus, a film set, and set to be watched, on Halloween . It’s as tied to the day as bobbing for apples and being scared of teenagers, the kind of lived-in practice that happens without thinking about it, leading to huge, unquestioning pockets of affection, less for what it contains and more for what it represents. In situations like this, when nostalgia can overwhelm objectivity, the prospect of adding to the story is inherently fraught, any excitement over the new tempered by adulation for the old.

So like many fan favourite follow-ups, Hocus Pocus 2 is stuck, trapped somewhere between different times, audiences and tones, trying to do so much yet, in this instance, achieving so very little. It’s structurally more akin to a remake, one that aims to appease older diehards while being accessible to newcomers, a not impossible task (recent rehauls of Chip n Dale and Scream managed to do this well enough) but one it struggles with throughout, broomstick barely hovering off the ground. At times it feels more like an extended, if joke-free, SNL skit than a real movie, giving us the iconography we want but without any of the soul, propulsion or bare necessity we need to go with it, something that exists because it could rather than should.

As Sam Richardson’s local historian/gift shop owner awkwardly reminds us, it’s been 29 years since the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) last showed up in Salem (why they didn’t wait for it to be a clean 30 is a mystery) and since then their legend has become commercialised and, for some, rewritten. In a clumsy, and at points heinously acted, cold open, we travel back to when the three sisters were children and expelled by the locals for being too unconventional, bucking the male-dominated culture of the time by refusing marriage and finding solace in the woods and the witch (a spirited Hannah Waddingham) who teaches them how to be independent. So while the first film began with the three witches sucking the life out of a small child, this one sets them up as radical girlbosses (they are later referred to as “ahead of their time” and “misunderstood”), a strangely miscalculated softening (notably not a single child is murdered this time around).

The Sanderson sisters were never as sadistic as, say, Roald Dahl’s witches but they were clearcut villains, nourished and re-energised by inhaling the lifeforce of children but in 27 Dresses director Anne Fletcher’s conflicted sequel, they’ve been sanded down to dust. There are, of course, interesting narratives about Salem’s historically lethal patriarchy and how witchcraft can be a liberating force for women but I’d argue that a Hocus Pocus sequel might not be the best place to explore them. It’s a contemporary touch done with a heavy hand and is most discordant in the sugary finale as the tone swerves to moist-eyed emotion and the power of sisterhood, taking us so very far away from where we came from. It reminded me of the de-fanged Mean Girls musical on Broadway as vicious bully Regina George is turned into a feminist badass (“Never apologize for being a boss!” she says in one limp humanising scene). Even the jock bully here is just a dumb dope. Is it bad to want baddies to still be … bad?

Again, the witches are pitted against the younger generation, this time embodied by friends played by Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo (both strong if never young Thora Birch strong), and again, there’s a frantic mission to stop an evil plan but it’s all just a thin trace of the original with the stakes less defined and the dynamic between the teens less involving. The dialogue is leaden with exposition, there are weird, indulgent musical sequences (that perhaps serve as a tease of the inevitable Broadway musical in the works, an admittedly intriguing prospect) and there’s a Walgreens sequence that’s so aggressively branded it feels like we’re watching a Super Bowl ad. The makers also seem confused about the rules of the world we’re spending time in with one snippet showing characters watching the original on TV. So in Hocus Pocus 2, Hocus Pocus exists which begs too many questions to even begin trying to answer (I tried, got a migraine and promptly gave up).

Naturally, the returning trio are all as game as ever, committing to the bit despite dialogue from screenwriter Jen D’Angelo that lacks the fizz they deserve. The shift from murderous menace to mild mischief also gives them less to sink their teeth into and the culture clash comedy of the first is inevitably less pronounced with less of a gap in time and the only real attempt to comment on this revolving around a pair of helpful Roombas (from Walgreens!), which is somehow even less funny that it sounds.

This coming Halloween, it’s likely that many families will be watching Hocus Pocus 2 together, excited by the prospect of a tradition shift. Next Halloween, I doubt they’ll be watching it again.

Hocus Pocus 2 is now available on Disney+

• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Bette Midler
• Walt Disney Company
• Comedy films
• Horror films

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Hocus pocus, common sense media reviewers.

Rollicking Halloween fun has scares, gross-out moments.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Teamwork and self-sacrifice will help you beat dif

Max, Dani, and Allison support one another and tac

Women and girls outnumber male characters and play

Most scares are campy, magical, and meant to be co

A candle must be lit by a virgin to bring the witc

A few uses of "hell" (including "go to hell") and

Many off-screen tie-in products available.

References to "hash" and "smokes" by teens. An adu

Parents need to know that Hocus Pocus' campy scares have lasting Halloween appeal. The story of the wicked Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) involves their plot to suck the life force out of children, and one girl dies that way (it isn't gory). Most of the movie's…

Positive Messages

Teamwork and self-sacrifice will help you beat difficult odds. Bullying has negative consequences.

Positive Role Models

Max, Dani, and Allison support one another and tackle the witches with intelligence. Older brothers Max and Thackery sacrifice themselves to protect their younger sisters. But parents and adults are portrayed as unreliable -- they don't listen when kids need them most. The teens who bully the main characters and "evil" witches Winifred, Sarah, and Mary are very clearly in the wrong. The three witches fall into gender clich és, obsessed with their looks and willing to kill children to maintain power, though their wickedness is meant to be comical rather than sinister.

Diverse Representations

Women and girls outnumber male characters and play main roles as villains and heroes. Allison and Dani are strong and smart, fighting the witches and briefly saving Dani's brother Max. But there are slight gender clich és with the witches: They cast a spell to be "young and beautiful" and are obsessed with their looks. All characters are White except minor Black characters who briefly appear at a crowded party. There's a very quick glimpse of racist 1960s-era packaging for Cherry Clan candies, showing characters with squinty eyes wearing conical Asian hats. Fatphobic lines include a well-fed cat who's worried about becoming a "fat, useless house cat," and a teen calls his friend "oinker" for eating too much candy.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Most scares are campy, magical, and meant to be comedic, but they're realistic and could still disturb younger kids. The villains take a child's life force while she's in a trance-like state, and she quietly slumps over in a chair (implied dead). A teen is zapped with electricity and appears to pass out, then gets turned into a cat. Characters stand at the gallows with nooses around their necks -- they cheerfully joke around before dying (legs visible above toppled barrels). Teens bully younger teens and kids, stealing their shoes and Halloween candy. A corpse named Billy is reanimated and breaks out of his crypt to chase kids, getting decapitated (he isn't hurt and eventually befriends the main characters). Villains are trapped and burned inside a pottery kiln (not gory); they leave uninjured. A few gross-out scenes include a character eating spiders, a cat getting run over by a bus, and a zombie cutting his stitched mouth open with a knife. Items that play key roles are a book bound in human skin and a candle made from the fat of a hanged man.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A candle must be lit by a virgin to bring the witches back to life -- there are several mentions of "the virgin." Passing reference to an unfaithful lover. Characters flirt and nearly share a kiss. One person hugs a pillow and says "Oh, Allison, you're so soft." Innuendo when the witches tell a bus driver that they "desire children" (to kill and use for a potion) and he replies, "It might take me a couple of tries, but I don't think that'll be a problem."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

A few uses of "hell" (including "go to hell") and infrequent uses of "damn," "wench," "moron," and "oh God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

References to "hash" and "smokes" by teens. An adult smokes in her home.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Hocus Pocus' campy scares have lasting Halloween appeal. The story of the wicked Sanderson sisters ( Bette Midler , Sarah Jessica Parker , and Kathy Najimy ) involves their plot to suck the life force out of children, and one girl dies that way (it isn't gory). Most of the movie's violence is playful and meant to be comical, including the witches being burned in a pottery kiln (they're unhurt) and hanged at the gallows (their legs are visible). A corpse is reanimated and chases kids. Gross-out scenes include a character eating spiders and a zombie cutting his stitched mouth open with a blade. A book bound in human skin and a candle made from the fat of a hanged man play key roles in the story. Main characters Max ( Omri Katz ) and younger sister Dani ( Thora Birch ) are bullied, and teens mention "smokes" and "hash." An adult smokes inside her own home. Language includes "damn" and "hell." Teens flirt and almost kiss, and a character hugs his pillow and murmurs, "Oh, Allison, you're so soft." Max is teased about being a virgin. Some innuendo when the witches tell a bus driver that they "desire children" (to kill and use for a potion) and he replies, "It might take me a couple of tries, but I don't think that'll be a problem." Teen characters are portrayed as positive role models, but parents/adults are portrayed as unreliable, ignoring kids when they need help. Important themes include using teamwork to outwit villains. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (43)
• Kids say (58)

Based on 43 parent reviews

Good but...

Many sex related one liners, references to inappropriate sexual ideas, what's the story.

HOCUS POCUS starts hundreds of years ago in Salem, Massachusetts, when three witches murder a little girl and curse her older brother, turning him into an immortal cat. The witches, better known as the Sanderson Sisters, are hanged for the crime. But just before their sentence is carried out, Winnie Sanderson ( Bette Midler ) casts a spell to bring herself and her sisters Mary ( Kathy Najimy ) and Sarah ( Sarah Jessica Parker ) back to life on a future Halloween night. When present-day high schooler Max ( Omri Katz ) lights a bewitched candle, he unwittingly performs the exact act that will make the sisters return. With the help of cat Thackery (Sean Murray), Max, his friend Allison ( Vinessa Shaw ), and his younger sister Dani ( Thora Birch ) do their best to outwit, outrun, and outlast the witches.

Is It Any Good?

This perennial Halloween favorite is full of silly moments. Some of the best scenes in Hocus Pocus involve the Sanderson Sisters -- Winnie, Mary, and Sarah -- walking through Salem on Halloween night, encountering costumed children. They perform "I Put a Spell on You" at a dance and mistake a man dressed as the devil for the real thing and call him their "master." There are definitely plot holes, and a lot of the film is predictable, but it's good Halloween fun nonetheless.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about scary stories. Did Hocus Pocus scare you? Do you think it was meant to be frightening, or fun? How much scary stuff can young kids handle?

Share your own memories of Halloween. What's your all-time favorite costume? How do you want to dress up this year?

How do the characters demonstrate teamwork ? Why is that an important character strength ?

How could you learn more about the facts of the Salem witch trials?

Movie Details

• In theaters : July 16, 1993
• On DVD or streaming : June 4, 2002
• Cast : Bette Midler , Sarah Jessica Parker , Thora Birch
• Director : Kenny Ortega
• Inclusion Information : Gay directors, Female actors
• Studio : Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Brothers and Sisters , Holidays , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
• Character Strengths : Teamwork
• Run time : 96 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : some scary sequences, and for language
• Last updated : April 23, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Hocus Pocus 2

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Screen Rant

10 best fall movies to cozy up to this autumn.

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Forget John Wick 5 & The Matrix 5, Keanu Reeves' Potential Return To 30-Year-Old Franchise Is Way More Exciting

Mel gibson's max mad franchise return gets honest response from creator george miller, jason statham's $152m action thriller is a streaming success after becoming 2024’s first box office hit.

The best fall movies make for comforting watches by incorporating the most memorable elements of the season, whether that's autumn leaves, hot drinks, cozy sweaters, or holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving. Autumn is particularly gorgeous in film, as the colored leaves and warm tones make for a beautiful aesthetic on-screen. A stark contrast to the hustle and bustle of summer and the busyness of the winter holidays, fall is a season all about slowing down, making it the perfect time to stay in for a movie binge-fest.

For horror fans, autumn is all about "spooky season" and the thrills and scares that go along with Halloween. Watching the best horror movies can be fun, but they're all about putting audiences on edge while the best fall movies are about comfort and relaxation. And while most horror movies set in the autumn tend to be based around Halloween, fall movies can take place on that holiday or anytime in the season. These films also aren't limited by genre, and the best fall movies can range from animated classics to romantic comedies to heartfelt dramas.

10 It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966)

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is a holiday special based on the popular Peanuts comic strip that was released on CBS. Centered around Halloween, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown follows the titular character (voiced by Peter Robbins) and his friends celebrating the holiday. While most of the group wants to go trick-or-treating, Linus (Christopher Shea) is determined to see the Great Pumpkin instead. The special has many iconic scenes, including Lucy (Sally Dryer) pulling a football away from Charlie Brown before he kicks it. With its familiar animation and nostalgia, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is one of the most memorable fall movies.

• Available to stream on Apple TV Plus

9 Addams Family Values (1993)

A sequel to the 1991 film The Addams Family , Addams Family Values sees the same star-studded cast return to their roles, including Christina Ricci as Wednesday. In Addams Family Values , Wednesday and Pugsley (Jimmy Workman) are sent to camp while a scheming woman named Debbie (Joan Cusack) seduces Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd). While Addams Family Values takes place in the summer, there is an iconic scene in which Wednesday plays Pocahontas in a Thanksgiving play, and she uses the opportunity to defend Native Americans and remind people of the darkness behind the Thanksgiving holiday. It's a great reminder, especially in the autumn season.

• Available to stream on Paramount Plus, Hoopla, and Pluto TV

Related: Wednesday Repeats Ricci's Greatest Addams Family Thanksgiving Moment

8 Remember the Titans (2000)

Remember the Titans is a sports biopic about Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), a Black high school football coach who is made head of the 1971 Titans team at T.C. Williams High School in order to quell racial tension. Washington is joined by a stellar supporting cast, including Wood Harris and Ryan Hurst as respective real-life football players Julius Campbell and Gerry Bertier, and a young Ryan Gosling as Alan Bosley. Remember the Titans is one of the best fall movies, because not only is it centered around football, a sport played in autumn, but its message about looking inward and changing for the better is in keeping with the season.

• Available to stream on Disney+

7 Practical Magic (1998)

Practical Magic is a romantic film about two sisters who are witches, Sally Owens (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman). Because of a curse placed on their family by one of their descendants, the two sisters approach their powers and romantic relationships differently. When Gillian becomes entangled with an abusive man named Jimmy (Goran Visnjic), she goes to Sally for help, and the women prove that the bonds of sisterhood are stronger than their differences. Set in autumn Massachusetts, Practical Magic has peak fall vibes, but what makes Practical Magic a cult classic fall movie is its comforting, optimistic take on falling in love.

• Available to rent or purchase on Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, Redbox, and DirectTV.

6 Coco (2017)

Coco is an animated Pixar film about Mexican holiday the Day of the Dead, which is typically celebrated in early November. In Coco , Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) longs to be a musician, but his family, led by his great-grandmother Mamá Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguía) forbids music after Miguel's great-great-grandfather deserted the family to pursue a music career. When Miguel sets out to prove his family wrong, he goes on a journey of discovery about himself and his ancestors. Coco is a stellar fall movie not only because of its stunning visual effects and music but also because it revolves around a holiday that's all about celebrating and honoring family.

• Available to stream on Disney Plus

5 Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Written and directed by John Hughes, Planes, Trains and Automobiles stars comedy legends Steve Martin as Neal and John Candy as Del. In the movie, Neal and Del are two strangers trying to make it from New York City to Chicago to be home for Thanksgiving, and they face numerous mishaps that keep putting them together. Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a hilarious movie thanks to its writing and performances, but its emotional weight sets it apart from other buddy comedies. With a twist ending, Planes, Trains and Automobiles reminds viewers to be kind and not take life for granted, capturing the message of Thanksgiving and the autumn season.

• Available to stream on AMC Plus, Hoopla, and DirecTV

4 Dead Poets Society (1989)

Dead Poets Society is set at an all-male boarding school in Vermont, and the students' traditional way of life is shaken up when John Keating (Robin Williams) is introduced as a new English teacher. Keating challenges his students to question the world around them and pursue their artistic endeavors. While there are no explicit LGBTQ+ characters, Dead Poets Society can be analyzed from the viewpoint of LGBTQ+ media because of its themes of repression, acceptance, and the deep friendship between students Todd (Ethan Hawke) and Neil (Robert Sean Leonard). With its picturesque New England setting, Dead Poets Society is a heartfelt coming-of-age story that has strong fall vibes throughout.

• Available to stream on Paramount Plus

3 Hocus Pocus (1993)

While Hocus Pocus is about teenager Max Dennison (Omri Katz) who has just moved to Salem, Massachusetts, the film made icons out of its villain characters, the Sanderson sisters, comprised of Winifred (Bette Middler), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), who prey on children to appear young forever. After being killed in the 1600s, Max accidentally resurrects the Sanderson sisters in the 1990s, and they wreak havoc on Halloween night. While it was not a hit when it was originally released, the movie has become a classic Halloween film and offers a heavy dose of nostalgia, particularly around fall. It also received a sequel, Hocus Pocus 2 .

2 When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

Even though the romantic comedy was released decades ago, When Harry Met Sally... still holds up today . In the movie, Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) keep crossing paths after moving to New York City. Instead of dating, the two test the idea of if men and women can stay friends without becoming romantically involved. While When Harry Met Sally... takes place over multiple years and showcases many seasons, the movie's most memorable backdrop is autumn in New York City. Its heartwarming story adds to the movie's cozy feel, making it one of the best fall movies.

• Available to rent or purchase on Apple TV, Prime Video, Microsoft Store, and Redbox, and Amazon Video

1 Knives Out (2019)

Directed by Rian Johnson, Knives Out follows detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) as he tries to solve the murder of wealthy family patriarch Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), and the mystery surrounding Harlan's death pits his nurse Marta (Ana de Armas) against the family. Following the movie's release, a cozy sweater worn by Chris Evans in Knives Out went viral. With its engaging plot, fall backdrop, and Evans' iconic sweater, Knives Out is a comforting murder mystery that never puts viewers on edge the way a horror movie would, making it essential fall movie viewing.

• Available to stream on DirecTV, TNT, TBS, and tru TV

The Best Cat Movies of All Time

E veryone loves a good animal movie. Whether dogs, cats, birds, or some other cute creature, audiences love to cheer on the innocent and adorable, rooting for them as they overcome hardship and peril. Cats are a little more complicated, though-- some are simply sweet, others are monstrously ferocious , while still more are nearly sarcastic in their indifference toward human affairs .

There have been many movies made throughout the years about these feline friends. Many of these were excellent while others were questionable. Some hairball choices include the cinematic Cats (2019), Catwoman (2004), and Fritz the Cat (1972), which was the first X-rated animated movie and shocked the world with its adult content. While these movies have been critically abhorred, there are many good cat films worth watching. Thus, if you’re looking for the purr-fect movie to watch, alone or with your cat companion cuddled close, here are our picks for the best cat flicks of all time.

Updated on September 18th, 2023, by Timothy Lindsey: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.

Garfield (2004)

The 2004 Garfield movie is loosely based on the popular American comic strip created by Jim Davis. While this movie may not have landed well with critics, it is goofy, fun, and enjoyable to watch, thanks largely to the strangely perfect casting of Bill Murray as the titular kitty.

Of course, he swears to have only taken the role because he believed one of the Coen Brothers was directing. While this is no Tragedy of Macbeth , it's still a lot of mindless fun. Join Garfield and Odie as they get into mischief and learn the true meaning of friendship, sort of.

Hocus Pocus (1993)

The 1993 cult classic is the ultimate family Halloween movie. Hocus Pocus introduces viewers to a boy named Max, his sister Dani, and their friend named Allison as they accidentally conjure up three evil witches set on sucking the life out of all the children of Salem, Massachusetts so that they can live forever.

This comes 300 years after they turned a boy named Thackery Binx into a cat after he tried to save his sister from the witches. Still a cat, Thackery helps the kids find a way to destroy the witches so that the children of Salem can be saved, and his cat curse can end. The award-winning film is still one of the most-watched films around the time of Halloween annually.

The Aristocats (1970)

" Everybody wants to be a cat. " In The Aristocats, there simply is no better life. Duchess and her three cats (Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse), live a pampered life in Paris with their owner. However, everything changes when the family butler drugs Duchess and her kittens and abandons them in the countryside in a scheme to claim the family fortune.

As Duchess and her kittens journey home, they make many new friends along the way, including the handsome Thomas O'Malley. This classic cat character study features great old-school music, ebullient voice acting, and a light, pleasant vibe throughout.

Puss in Boots (2011)

Shrek was a major success for DreamWorks Animation, with everyone falling in love with the clumsy, loveable green ogre. In 2004, DreamWorks released the sequel, Shrek 2 , introducing the world to a new character-- the adorable, fluffy Puss, who audiences loved so much that he got his spinoff movie in 2011, Puss in Boots .

Chronicling the epic tales of Puss and his adventures before meeting Shrek, the film features delightful voice acting from Salma Hayek, Billy Bob Thornton, Zach Galifianakis, and Amy Sedaris, but the real draw is watching the cute kitty incongruously voiced by the sexy Spaniard Antonio Banderas.

Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006)

The sequel to the first live-action Garfield film, Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (2006) follows the beloved feline (Bill Murray) as he follows his owner John (Breckin Meyer) across the pond to London. John is going there to propose to his girlfriend Liz (Jennifer Love Hewitt). Garfield and John's dog Odie find a way to break out of the kennel and sneak into John's luggage. After getting to London, Garfield and Prince XII (a cat) of Carlyle Castle get mixed up with one another.

Additionally, the evil Lord Dargis (Bill Connelly) has a plan to take over the Prince's estate, which includes getting rid of the feline Prince himself. Garfield and Prince XII must find a way to prevent him from doing exactly that. The film has a grade of "B+" on CinemaScore, and it showcased the classic humor from the comedic cat that made him one of the best animal cinematic and television characters ever.

Related: 10 Wild Animal Movies That Will Keep You Out of the Woods Forever

Homeward Bound (1993)

This 1993 Disney classic is a remake of the 1963 film The Incredible Journey , which is also based on the book of the same name and inspired by true events. In Homeward Bound , the pets Shadow, Chance, and Sassy are all left at a friend’s ranch when their owners go on vacation.

However, the animals worry that they have been left by accident, so they embark on an incredible journey through the California wilderness to try and find their way back home to family. Homeward Bound stars Michael J. Fox as Chance, the energetic and curious American bulldog, Don Ameche as Shadow, a wise golden retriever, and Sally Field as Sassy, a prim and proper cat who steals the show with her snappy dialogue. The real-life animals are brilliantly trained and a joy to watch.

The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998)

The sequel to the iconic 1994 Disney classic, which readers will later see on this list, tells another story around Pride Rock. The Lion King II: Simba's Pride introduces audiences to Simba (Matthew Broderick) and Nala's daughter Kiara. Kiara meets Kovu, the son of Scar. However, the two are forbidden to see each other because Kovu is a part of "the Outsiders", a group of lions banished to the Outlands because of what Scar did in the previous film.

Kiara and Kovu believe that they can unite both groups, even if Kovu's mother, Zira, has plans to get revenge on Simba for killing Scar. Despite an approval rating of just 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, the 1998 sequel provides viewers with a family film with a touch of Romeo and Juliet in the place where "everything the light touches".

Coraline (2009)

Based on the dark children’s fantasy novel of the same name by English author Neil Gaiman, Coraline is a girl who is tired of living life in her ordinary world. While exploring her new home, Coraline (Dakota Fanning) discovers a secret door that leads to an alternate world much like her own.

However, this new world appears to be much better but has a strange, haunting catch, so Coraline recruits the help of a talking cat to rescue her parents and save her world. The cat is a perfect manifestation of all the indifferent, individualistic but still lovable feline friends in the world-- snarky, sarcastic, and more intellectual than any dog could ever be.

The Ghost and the Darkness (1996)

Most cat movies are family-friendly, but The Ghost and the Darkness is one exception. Based on true events, the film is a fictionalization of an actual event regarding two male lions that attacked and devoured workers in Tsavo, Kenya during the building of a new railway in 1898.

Directed by Stephen Hopkins, this 1996 historical adventure film stars Michael Douglas and Val Kilmer as the two men sent to tame (or kill) the bloodthirsty beasts. The film received mixed reviews among critics and moviegoers, yet is hauntingly remembered as one of the most quietly terrifying films about wild animals. The film used its Oscar-winning sound effects editing to create a dark, growling tension.

The Cat in the Hat (2003)

The Cat in the Hat (2003) is one of the best live-action films that adapted a children's book. Based on the legendary book written by Dr. Seuss, this film tells the story of a goofy cat (Mike Myers) who comes to the home of Conrad (Spencer Breslin) and Sally Walden (Dakota Fanning) while their mom (Kelly Preston) is at work.

Together, the kids learn from the cat how to have a day filled with fun. However, a massive mess is left behind by them, and the group must clean it up before their mom gets home to host a work party there. The film grossed over $38 million on its opening weekend, which made it the No. 1 box office film in North America.

Related: Great Horror Movies Where the Pet Isn't Killed

The Secret Life of Pets (2016)

One of the best animated films of all time, The Secret Life of Pets (2016) simply tells the story of what pets do when their owners are away for the day. Now, the film specifically focuses on two dogs named Max (Louis C.K.) and Duke (Eric Stonestreet) who try to become friends after Duke moves in after being adopted by Max's owner Katie (Ellie Kemper). The movie was the most profitable animated movie of 2016 as it nearly totaled a net profit of $375 million.

However, there is a lazy and uninterested cat in the film named Chloe (Lake Bell), who is a part of Max's friend group of pets. She has many notable scenes throughout the movie, including eating a whole turkey from her owner's fridge and at a party being thrown by dogs, she is thrown into a dishwasher, a punch bowl, and a container of Cheetos. Yes, the film centers around two dogs. But it is also about the lives of pets, and Chloe is one of the many bright spots in the film.

The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King (1994) is one of Disney’s most successful animated films, grossing over $1 billion and garnering intense adoration from critics and fans alike. This movie is a celebration of the animal kingdom, with specific attention to the best of friendships, hardships, love, and sacrifice between cats.

Additionally, the film immortalized classic songs like “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” and “Hakuna Matata," along with a beautiful set of songs by the renowned Sir Elton John and a cast of famous voices like James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick, Whoopi Goldberg, and Jeremy Irons. The Lion King once again took over the big screen with the controversial The Lion King remake in 2019 after many years of success on Broadway, and a prequel is set to be released soon. Surely, the film features the most recognizable and adored cats in cinema.

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Reba Star Cheers Upcoming Reunion in NBC’s Happy’s Place : It ‘Feels Even Sweeter’ the Second Time Around

Ryan schwartz, senior editor.

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Melissa Peterman plans to “savor every moment” on the set of NBC ‘s Happy’s Place .

The network on Tuesday handed a series order to the multi-camera comedy that will reunite Peterman with Reba McEntire. The pair previously co-starred on the country music icon’s eponymous WB sitcom.

“See you at Happy’s Place !!!” her Instagram caption continues. “I can’t wait to get to work with this amazing cast and crew!”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Melissa Peterman (@melissapeterman)

In  Happy’s Place , “Bobbie (played by McEntire) inherits her father’s restaurant and is less than thrilled to discover that she has a new business partner in the half-sister she never knew she had,” according to the official logline. As previously reported, Belissa Escobedo ( Hocus Pocus 2 ,  Blue Beetle ) will play Isabella, Bobbie’s enthusiastic, twenty-something half-sister. A psychology student who loves to analyze people, “she is thrilled to start working at the tavern and is full of ‘great’’ ideas about how to bring it to life.”

Peterman, meanwhile, will play Gabby, a bartender at the restaurant. “She is a bit needy and dramatic and would have loved to be Bobbie’s sister,” per the official description. (Sounds a lot like Barbra Jean!)

She previously reunited with McEntire on CMT’s  Working Class  and Freeform’s  Baby Daddy , as well as the Lifetime original movie  The Hammer . Interestingly, while McEntire and Peterman both recur on CBS’  Young Sheldon , sometimes appearing in the same episode, their characters — June Ballard and Brenda Sparks — have never crossed paths.

Happy’s Place hails from creator Kevin Abbott, who previously served as an executive producer on Reba . A premiere date for the new show has not yet been announced.

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So looking forward to this!!

I still don’t how Bobbie can have a 20-something half-sister. Is the character in her 40’s. Reba is almost 70 so it’s just weird to me.

Same father. Dad could’ve been significantly older when he had another daughter.

well yeah, but that’s the weird part to me

I enjoyed the Reba show and I am ready for more Reba and BJ

So I guess Barbara Jean gained all that weight she lost back?

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Bette Midler says ‘Bette’ sitcom was a ‘big mistake’ — and so was not suing Lindsay Lohan

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The way she tells it, Bette Midler’s short-lived sitcom “Bette” was more like a comedy of errors.

The singer-actor’s semiautobiographical CBS show premiered in 2000 and was canceled 18 episodes into its 22-episode order. Midler dissected her self-declared “big flop” Tuesday on David Duchovny’s podcast , “Fail Better.”

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“I did a television show, ‘Bette.’ Does it get any more generic than that?” the “Hocus Pocus” star joked. “A big, big, big mistake.”

Midler cited a number of reasons for the show’s failure, including her poor understanding of serial television production. She’ had worked extensively in theater and film, she said, but sitcoms were uncharted territory.

“Filming a show a week is warp speed for Midler, more accustomed to the studious pace of a movie shoot,” The Times’ Carla Hall wrote in an October 2000 story about her and the show. “The sitcom films on Friday nights before an audience at the Culver City studios starting around 6:30 p.m. and ending in the wee hours, driven by Midler’s desire to get it as perfectly funny as she can.”

The week that story was reported, a coordinating producer won a pool the crew regularly held, where they put in $5 each and guessed when filming would wrap. The winning guess that week was 1:11 a.m., or nearly five hours to film a half-hour show.

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Oct. 8, 2000

“It was a form, a part of the media, I simply did not understand. I watched it. I appreciated it. I enjoyed it. But I didn’t know what it meant to make it,” Midler said on the podcast. “I didn’t realize what the pace was, and I didn’t understand what the hierarchy was, and nobody bothered to tell me.”

Midler was effectively sidelined on her own show.

“Because I was so green,” she said, “I didn’t know that I could have taken charge.”

That’s why, when a teenage Lindsay Lohan bailed out on “Bette” after the show’s pilot — despite being under contract — Midler didn’t fight it.

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“If I had been in my right mind, or if I had known that part of my duties were to stand up and say, ‘This absolutely will not do, I’m going to sue,’ then I would have done that,” Midler said. “But I seem to have been cosseted in some way that I couldn’t get to the writers’ room. I couldn’t speak to the showrunner. I couldn’t make myself clear.”

Midler said she aired her grievances on “The Late Show With David Letterman” and was fired the next morning.

“Bette” aired Wednesdays against “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” which was then a juggernaut. In March 2001, The Times wrote about “Bette” getting canceled , saying, “The show, in which Midler plays a diva not unlike herself, has been a ratings disappointment since its debut, and Midler herself had hinted at various times that she found the experience of starring in her own television show arduous.”

“I said, ‘Oh, isn’t that fantastic?’” Midler told Duchovny. “I was so thrilled not to have to continue because I could not gather myself enough to make it work. I didn’t know how to make it work — for so many reasons, not least of which was that it was a completely different situation than I thought it was going to be.”

However, it seems not everyone disliked the sitcom.

Days before Midler’s podcast appearance, Lohan posted a throwback photo of herself and her former “Bette” co-star on Instagram .

“Had such a blast filming,” Lohan wrote in the caption, “with the incredible @bettemidler 💕 #tbt.”

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Bette Midler says sitcom Bette was a 'big mistake,' recalls chaos from Lindsay Lohan's exit

The actress revisits her short-lived 2000 sitcom flop on David Duchovny's "Fail Better" podcast.

Jessica is a staff writer at Entertainment Weekly, where she covers TV, movies, and pop culture. Her work has appeared in Bustle, NYLON, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, and more. She lives in California with her dog.

Not even Bette Midler is immune to career flops. See: Bette , her short-lived CBS sitcom.

During the latest episode of David Duchovny 's Fail Better podcast, the veteran actress, 78, called the 2000 sitcom a "big, big mistake" and also revisited the chaos after onscreen daughter Lindsay Lohan dropped out of the show after the pilot.

"I did a television show, Bette. Does it get any more generic than that? A big, big, big mistake," Midler said. "I think for several reasons. It was the wrong motivation. It was a part of the media I simply did not understand. I watched it. I appreciated it. I enjoyed it, But I didn't know what it meant to make it."

"I had made theatrical live events. I had made films. I had made variety television shows. I had been on talk shows. But I had never done a situation comedy," she continued. "I didn't realize what the pace was. And I didn't understand what the hierarchy was. And no one bothered to tell me."

CBS via Getty

Duchovny said, "Well, the hierarchy should have been, since Bette is the name of the show, you should have been number one on the hierarchy."

"Well, I was kicked to the curb immediately," Midler said. "And I didn't know what to do about it. I mean, all the signs were there. But because I was so green, I didn't understand what my options were, what choices I could have made to improve my situation. I didn't know that I could have taken charge."

Midler played a version of herself, a celebrity adored by her fans, on the one-season sitcom, which followed her otherwise grounded personal life at home with her college professor husband Roy (Kevin Dunn, plus Robert Hays in later episodes) and teenage daughter Rose (Lohan). The star believes the sitcom would have worked better "if I had had a team that was on my side," adding that "things happened that were so astonishing," citing Lohan's departure.

"After the pilot, Lindsay Lohan decided she didn't want to do it, or she had other fish to fry," Midler said. "So Lindsay Lohan left the building and I said, well, now what do you do? And the studio didn't help me. It was extremely chaotic . . . and if I had been in my right mind, or if I had known that my part of my duties were to stand up and say, 'This absolutely will not do, I'm going to sue,' then I would have done that. But I seem to have been cosseted in some way that I couldn't get to the writer's room. I couldn't speak to the showrunner. I couldn't make myself clear."

Midler's time on the sitcom ultimately became too "taxing," and she was "thrilled" once it came to an end. “The mad scramble to keep up was just too intense," she said.

Despite the scramble, Lohan appears to have fond memories from the show. She recently shared a throwback photo with Midler on Instagram and wrote that she "had such a blast" filming with the "incredible" Midler.

Listen to Midler's interview with Duchovny above. New episodes of the podcast drop Tuesdays.

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