The wait for Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell‘s raunchy romantic comedy Anyone But You is finally over and the fans of the genre and the stars seem to be loving the film. Based on William Shakespeare‘s Much Ado About Nothing, the film is directed by Will Gluck from a screenplay by Gluck and Ilana Wolpert. Anyone But You revolves around Bea and Ben who pretend to be a couple at Bea’s sister’s wedding so that Bea can avoid her ex and Ben can get back together with his. Anyone But You also stars Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet, Bryan Brown, and Rachel Griffiths. So, if you loved the film here are some similar options you should check out next.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (Paramount+ & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Paramount Pictures
Anyone But You has the same...
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (Paramount+ & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Paramount Pictures
Anyone But You has the same...
- 1/6/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Writer Jen D’Angelo got her start working on episodes of shows Workaholics, Cougar Town, and Young Rock, and now she’s on a streak of successfully getting her feature scripts brought to the screen. She wrote the long-awaited sequel Hocus Pocus 2, the time travel slasher Totally Killer, and the newly released comedy Quiz Lady – and next on her to-do list is Hocus Pocus 3. D’Angelo has previously teased that the new sequel could bring Hannah Waddingham back as her Hocus Pocus 2 character The Witch Mother, and during an interview with Collider she also gave a hint as to what could bring the Sanderson Sisters back into action, seeking revenge against Salem.
D’Angelo said, “I have my theories about what we could see (in Hocus Pocus 3), and what things mean and where we could take these characters. It’s interesting to be like, ‘Now we have even...
D’Angelo said, “I have my theories about what we could see (in Hocus Pocus 3), and what things mean and where we could take these characters. It’s interesting to be like, ‘Now we have even...
- 10/31/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Disney announced earlier this year that Hocus Pocus 3 is definitely happening, with Anne Fletcher (Hocus Pocus 2) returning to direct and Jen D’Angelo back to write the script.
But what’s the status on Hocus Pocus 3, now that we’re one year removed from the premiere of Hocus Pocus 2? D’Angelo provides a fresh update to Entertainment Weekly.
“We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it. We’ve been working on some ideas, and it’s been fun to dive back into that world and we have so many directions in which to go and so many new characters to explore,” D’Angelo tells the outlet. She continues, “We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s mother witch.”
Hannah Waddingham’s Mother Witch was introduced in a flashback sequence in Hocus Pocus 2, the witch who gifted the spell book to...
But what’s the status on Hocus Pocus 3, now that we’re one year removed from the premiere of Hocus Pocus 2? D’Angelo provides a fresh update to Entertainment Weekly.
“We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it. We’ve been working on some ideas, and it’s been fun to dive back into that world and we have so many directions in which to go and so many new characters to explore,” D’Angelo tells the outlet. She continues, “We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s mother witch.”
Hannah Waddingham’s Mother Witch was introduced in a flashback sequence in Hocus Pocus 2, the witch who gifted the spell book to...
- 10/27/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
A third ‘Hocus Pocus’ film is still in the story development phase. Disney confirmed in June another installment in the witch series was in development and screenwriter Jen D’Angelo has now confirmed the plot is still being worked out, following the end of the WGA strike. She told Entertainment Weekly: “We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it. “We’ve been working on some ideas. It’s been fun to dive back into that world and we have so many directions in which to go and so many new characters to explore. “We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s Mother Witch.” Emmy-winning ‘Ted Lasso’ actress Hannah Waddingham made her ‘Hocus Pocus’ debut in the second installment, released in 2022 on Disney+, which saw her Mother Witch character gifting a spell book to the young Sanderson sisters. Hannah’s return in the third...
- 10/27/2023
- by BANG Showbiz Reporter
- Bang Showbiz
Disney confirmed in June that a third “Hocus Pocus” movie was in development. Now, screenwriter Jen D’Angelo has confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that the next Sanderson sisters tale is still in the story development phase following the end of the WGA strike.
“We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it,” D’Angelo said. “We’ve been working on some ideas. It’s been fun to dive back into that world and we have so many directions in which to go and so many new characters to explore. We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s mother witch.”
“Ted Lasso” Emmy-winner Hannah Waddingham made her “Hocus Pocus” debut in the second installment, released in 2022 on Disney+. She played Mother Witch, a sinister woman who gifts the spell book to the young Sanderson sisters. While Waddingham’s return in “Hocus Pocus 3” is not officially set,...
“We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it,” D’Angelo said. “We’ve been working on some ideas. It’s been fun to dive back into that world and we have so many directions in which to go and so many new characters to explore. We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s mother witch.”
“Ted Lasso” Emmy-winner Hannah Waddingham made her “Hocus Pocus” debut in the second installment, released in 2022 on Disney+. She played Mother Witch, a sinister woman who gifts the spell book to the young Sanderson sisters. While Waddingham’s return in “Hocus Pocus 3” is not officially set,...
- 10/26/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Hocus Pocus fans were ecstatic when Disney released a long-awaited sequel to the classic last year, but one key player was missing: original director Kenny Ortega.
Kenny helmed the 1993 classic alongside stars Mette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy. However, Anne Fletcher took over directing duties for the sequel.
He opened up about the project and his thoughts on being replaced in a new interview.
Read more about Kenny Ortega’s “disappointing” Hocus Pocus replacement…
“No, they did not approach me to direct it, which was disappointing, but, of course, in the end, I was very supportive, wanting for Bette, Kathy, and Sarah to have another crack at it,” the director told EW. “You let go of things, you surrender, you move on, you don’t hold on, you don’t have ownership. I would’ve loved to have gone back and play again, but that I didn’t is okay.
Kenny helmed the 1993 classic alongside stars Mette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy. However, Anne Fletcher took over directing duties for the sequel.
He opened up about the project and his thoughts on being replaced in a new interview.
Read more about Kenny Ortega’s “disappointing” Hocus Pocus replacement…
“No, they did not approach me to direct it, which was disappointing, but, of course, in the end, I was very supportive, wanting for Bette, Kathy, and Sarah to have another crack at it,” the director told EW. “You let go of things, you surrender, you move on, you don’t hold on, you don’t have ownership. I would’ve loved to have gone back and play again, but that I didn’t is okay.
- 10/20/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Halloween is the time of year when horror appeals to all ages and backgrounds, but especially so for the young and young at heart. Luckily, there’s no shortage of family-friendly frights on streaming or network TV. If you’ve already grown tired of the familiar staples that include enduring favorites like Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, Casper, Coraline, Don’t Look Under the Bed, Beetlejuice, and more, here’s the list for you.
This streaming guide is almost entirely dedicated to gateway horror titles released within the last decade, save for one deep-cut gem that’s finally found its way on streaming. Many of them are set on or around Halloween, ensuring proper spooky season viewing.
For those looking for brand new family frights to sink their fangs into this Halloween season, don’t miss these movies and shows.
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting – Netflix
Set around Halloween, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting...
This streaming guide is almost entirely dedicated to gateway horror titles released within the last decade, save for one deep-cut gem that’s finally found its way on streaming. Many of them are set on or around Halloween, ensuring proper spooky season viewing.
For those looking for brand new family frights to sink their fangs into this Halloween season, don’t miss these movies and shows.
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting – Netflix
Set around Halloween, A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting...
- 10/20/2023
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
The story of Hocus Pocus is a wild one, as the 1993 film wasn’t a critical or financial success at the time of its release. Now considered a Halloween classic, so much so that it just spawned a hugely successful straight-to-streaming sequel last year (Hocus Pocus 2), the film was originally released in the summer of 1993, and actually lost money for Disney at the time.
Thirty years later and Hocus Pocus has become a merchandising powerhouse, considered by many to be one of the very best family-friendly horror movies ever made. Go figure!
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures made the smart decision to bring Hocus Pocus back to theaters for its 30th anniversary this past weekend, and the movie managed to scare up enough money that it found itself in the #10 slot on the weekend’s domestic box office charts!
Decades after its original release, Hocus Pocus just made $1,609,874 in...
Thirty years later and Hocus Pocus has become a merchandising powerhouse, considered by many to be one of the very best family-friendly horror movies ever made. Go figure!
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures made the smart decision to bring Hocus Pocus back to theaters for its 30th anniversary this past weekend, and the movie managed to scare up enough money that it found itself in the #10 slot on the weekend’s domestic box office charts!
Decades after its original release, Hocus Pocus just made $1,609,874 in...
- 10/10/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The collectible makers at Funko have created a large line of Pop figures based on Hocus Pocus 2. There are, of course, all three Sanderson sisters, but also the new characters Cassie, Becca, Izzy, and Gilbert. Surprisingly, a new Billy Butcherson figure isn’t in the line-up. But there is The Witch Mother – and while the other Hocus Pocus 2 POPs will be available wherever POPs are sold, the Witch Mother figure will only be available through the Funko website. So if you want to get your hands on this one, head over to Funko.com before all the Witch Mother figures are sold!
ThatHashtagShow informs, “The Witch Mother plays a brief but significant role in the Disney feature Hocus Pocus 2. The character, portrayed by Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham, meets the Sanderson sisters when they’re still children. Sensing witchy potential in young Winifred, the Witch Mother gives the sisters their iconic spellbook.
ThatHashtagShow informs, “The Witch Mother plays a brief but significant role in the Disney feature Hocus Pocus 2. The character, portrayed by Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham, meets the Sanderson sisters when they’re still children. Sensing witchy potential in young Winifred, the Witch Mother gives the sisters their iconic spellbook.
- 8/24/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Romantic comedies have a unique way of capturing the magic and joy of falling in love. These heartwarming films blend humor, charm, and delightful storytelling to create feel-good experiences that leave us with warm fuzzies and a renewed belief in the power of love. This article will explore eight heartwarming rom-coms guaranteed to restore your faith in love and leave you smiling.
Related: 10 Best Rom-Coms of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
1. ‘When Harry Met Sally’ (1989)
“When Harry Met Sally,” a well-known film directed by Rob Reiner, is a timeless classic that explores the complexities of male-female friendships and the possibility of true love.
The film follows Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) as they navigate their relationship for several years.
With witty banter, relatable characters, and memorable scenes like the iconic deli, “When Harry Met Sally” is a heartwarming tale that reminds us that love can be found in the most unexpected places.
Related: 10 Best Rom-Coms of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
1. ‘When Harry Met Sally’ (1989)
“When Harry Met Sally,” a well-known film directed by Rob Reiner, is a timeless classic that explores the complexities of male-female friendships and the possibility of true love.
The film follows Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) as they navigate their relationship for several years.
With witty banter, relatable characters, and memorable scenes like the iconic deli, “When Harry Met Sally” is a heartwarming tale that reminds us that love can be found in the most unexpected places.
- 7/21/2023
- by Pia Vermaak
- buddytv.com
In the world of the Emmy Awards, straight-to-streaming movies are considered “TV Movies,” which is how Predator sequel Prey was able to score an “Outstanding TV Movie” nomination at this year’s ceremony. Dan Trachtenberg’s one-shot spinoff movie, in fact, was nominated for Six Emmy Awards in total this year, and it’s not the only horror movie to get recognition.
Released last Halloween on Disney+, the decades-later spooky sequel Hocus Pocus 2 is also nominated for “Outstanding Television Movie” at the Emmy Awards this year!
In addition to that nomination, Hocus Pocus 2 has also been nominated in the “Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special” and “Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes” categories, the film scoring three nominations in total.
Hocus Pocus 2 was a massive hit for Disney+ last year, breaking records for the streaming service and allowing for Hocus Pocus 3 to...
Released last Halloween on Disney+, the decades-later spooky sequel Hocus Pocus 2 is also nominated for “Outstanding Television Movie” at the Emmy Awards this year!
In addition to that nomination, Hocus Pocus 2 has also been nominated in the “Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited or Anthology Series, Movie or Special” and “Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes” categories, the film scoring three nominations in total.
Hocus Pocus 2 was a massive hit for Disney+ last year, breaking records for the streaming service and allowing for Hocus Pocus 3 to...
- 7/13/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
A couple days ago, we learned that Hocus Pocus 3 is in development at the Disney+ streaming service – and now The Wrap has confirmed that this sequel is coming from the same creative team as the previous sequel! Hocus Pocus 2 director Anne Fletcher is returning to direct the film from a screenplay by Hocus Pocus 2 writer Jen D’Angelo. Although we know who’s making the movie now, details on the plot they’re brewing up are still being kept under wraps.
The original cult favorite Hocus Pocus was released in 1993. Directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay credited to Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert (and based on story Garris crafted with David Kirschner), that film was about a trio of witch sisters who have been cursed since 1963. The fearsome threesome is inadvertently resurrected 300 years later by a boy whose family has moved from Los Angeles to Salem. As they...
The original cult favorite Hocus Pocus was released in 1993. Directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay credited to Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert (and based on story Garris crafted with David Kirschner), that film was about a trio of witch sisters who have been cursed since 1963. The fearsome threesome is inadvertently resurrected 300 years later by a boy whose family has moved from Los Angeles to Salem. As they...
- 6/7/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Would you be willing to buy a ticket for a concert that goes on for 24 hours? Hundreds of people did just that to see theater artist Taylor Mac in 2016, and that show has now been turned into the documentary “Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music,” which will stream on Max starting June 27.
Directed by two-time Oscar winners Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, the film follows the 24-hour performance at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn as Mac performs renditions of songs dating back to America’s origins in the 18th century, from “Yankee Doodle” to “Gloria.”
Along the way, Mac complements the alternative tour of American history with elaborate costumes designed by Mac’s longtime collaborator Machine Dazzle and make-up designer Anastasia Durasova.
Also Read:
Anne Fletcher Returning to Direct ‘Hocus Pocus 3’
As the show goes on, one member of Mac’s 24-piece orchestra leaves the stage every hour,...
Directed by two-time Oscar winners Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, the film follows the 24-hour performance at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn as Mac performs renditions of songs dating back to America’s origins in the 18th century, from “Yankee Doodle” to “Gloria.”
Along the way, Mac complements the alternative tour of American history with elaborate costumes designed by Mac’s longtime collaborator Machine Dazzle and make-up designer Anastasia Durasova.
Also Read:
Anne Fletcher Returning to Direct ‘Hocus Pocus 3’
As the show goes on, one member of Mac’s 24-piece orchestra leaves the stage every hour,...
- 6/7/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Another Hocus Pocus is in the works.
Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, confirmed in an interview with The New York Times that Hocus Pocus 3 is happening.
The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Anne Fletcher and Jen D’Angelo will be returning to direct and write, respectively, after collaborating on Hocus Pocus 2.
It comes as little surprise given the success of last year’s sequel, which set a record for an opening weekend by a movie on a streamer with 2.7 billion minutes viewed. Overall, the film landed at No. 5 on the most-streamed movies of 2022 with a total of 5.7 billion minutes viewed.
While the first film was not a box office hit, it became a cult hit over the years thanks to airings on basic cable.
The third film would follow Kenny Ortega’s 1993 original and last year’s Fletcher-directed sequel, both of which starred Bette Midler,...
Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, confirmed in an interview with The New York Times that Hocus Pocus 3 is happening.
The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Anne Fletcher and Jen D’Angelo will be returning to direct and write, respectively, after collaborating on Hocus Pocus 2.
It comes as little surprise given the success of last year’s sequel, which set a record for an opening weekend by a movie on a streamer with 2.7 billion minutes viewed. Overall, the film landed at No. 5 on the most-streamed movies of 2022 with a total of 5.7 billion minutes viewed.
While the first film was not a box office hit, it became a cult hit over the years thanks to airings on basic cable.
The third film would follow Kenny Ortega’s 1993 original and last year’s Fletcher-directed sequel, both of which starred Bette Midler,...
- 6/7/2023
- by Kimberly Nordyke
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Disney just announced a few days ago that Hocus Pocus 3 is definitely happening, and now The Wrap reports that Anne Fletcher (Hocus Pocus 2) is returning to direct.
Hocus Pocus 2 writer Jen D’Angelo is also back to write the third movie’s script.
Hocus Pocus 2 was a massive hit for the Disney+ streaming service this past Halloween, setting streaming records and all but ensuring that a second sequel wouldn’t be far behind.
In an interview with THR last October, Hocus Pocus 2 producer Adam Shankman had teased the potential for follow-up projects, which could center on the sequel’s new characters. Hocus Pocus 2 introduced Whitney Peak as Becca, Belissa Escobedo as Izzy, and Lilia Buckingham as Cassie, a new group of sisters who come together to vanquish the Sandersons. It’s Becca who ultimately discovers she has her own bewitching powers.
Shankman told THR, “[Director] Anne [Fletcher] I think handled [Becca’s character arc] really,...
Hocus Pocus 2 writer Jen D’Angelo is also back to write the third movie’s script.
Hocus Pocus 2 was a massive hit for the Disney+ streaming service this past Halloween, setting streaming records and all but ensuring that a second sequel wouldn’t be far behind.
In an interview with THR last October, Hocus Pocus 2 producer Adam Shankman had teased the potential for follow-up projects, which could center on the sequel’s new characters. Hocus Pocus 2 introduced Whitney Peak as Becca, Belissa Escobedo as Izzy, and Lilia Buckingham as Cassie, a new group of sisters who come together to vanquish the Sandersons. It’s Becca who ultimately discovers she has her own bewitching powers.
Shankman told THR, “[Director] Anne [Fletcher] I think handled [Becca’s character arc] really,...
- 6/7/2023
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
“Hocus Pocus 3” is casting its spell.
Following Sunday’s announcement that the Disney+ sequel from last fall is now getting a sequel of its own, TheWrap has learned that film’s director Anne Fletcher and writer Jen D’Angelo will be returning to the witchy franchise.
The news of a new “Hocus Pocus” sequel, after last year’s surprisingly enjoyable follow-up to the 1993 Disney classic, came during a profile of Walt Disney Studios president Sean Bailey in The New York Times. Bailey confirmed that there was another film in development — although, at the time, not much else was known.
It’s currently unclear, for instance, if original stars Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker will be back for “Hocus Pocus 3,” or if other actors from the first film who skipped “Hocus Pocus 2” will return for the new movie. Another looming question: whether the new movie will go straight...
Following Sunday’s announcement that the Disney+ sequel from last fall is now getting a sequel of its own, TheWrap has learned that film’s director Anne Fletcher and writer Jen D’Angelo will be returning to the witchy franchise.
The news of a new “Hocus Pocus” sequel, after last year’s surprisingly enjoyable follow-up to the 1993 Disney classic, came during a profile of Walt Disney Studios president Sean Bailey in The New York Times. Bailey confirmed that there was another film in development — although, at the time, not much else was known.
It’s currently unclear, for instance, if original stars Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker will be back for “Hocus Pocus 3,” or if other actors from the first film who skipped “Hocus Pocus 2” will return for the new movie. Another looming question: whether the new movie will go straight...
- 6/7/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Last September, Disney+ released a sequel that a lot of fans had been waiting nearly thirty years for: Hocus Pocus 2, a follow-up to the 1993 cult favorite Hocus Pocus. It was a record-breaking release, with subscribers streaming the movie for 2.7 billion minutes over its opening weekend. So it’s not too surprising to hear (via The New York Times) that Hocus Pocus 3 is now in development. Confirmation comes directly from Sean Bailey, the President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production.
Directed by Anne Fletcher from a screenplay by Jen D’Angelo (Workaholics), Hocus Pocus 2 saw Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy reprising the roles of the Sanderson Sisters. The film has the following synopsis: Picking up 29 years after a teen named Max lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the three 17th-century child-essence-stealing sorceresses, Winifred (Midler), Sarah (Parker), and Mary (Najimy) are now looking for revenge. With...
Directed by Anne Fletcher from a screenplay by Jen D’Angelo (Workaholics), Hocus Pocus 2 saw Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy reprising the roles of the Sanderson Sisters. The film has the following synopsis: Picking up 29 years after a teen named Max lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the three 17th-century child-essence-stealing sorceresses, Winifred (Midler), Sarah (Parker), and Mary (Najimy) are now looking for revenge. With...
- 6/5/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The Sanderson sisters will be returning to cause more wicked chaos with Hocus Pocus 3, 30 years after the original movie was first released.
Disney+ is developing another sequel to the film starring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker. Sean Bailey, President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, confirmed the news in an interview with The New York Times.
It’s no surprise that a sequel is being developed as Hocus Pocus 2 was a hit for the streamer setting a record with 2.7 billion minutes of viewing.
Hocus Pocus was first released in 1993 and directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert and a story by David Kirschner and Garris. The film follows a trio of witches who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy on Halloween night.
Although it was not a box office hit, over the years the film would achieve cult...
Disney+ is developing another sequel to the film starring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker. Sean Bailey, President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, confirmed the news in an interview with The New York Times.
It’s no surprise that a sequel is being developed as Hocus Pocus 2 was a hit for the streamer setting a record with 2.7 billion minutes of viewing.
Hocus Pocus was first released in 1993 and directed by Kenny Ortega from a screenplay by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert and a story by David Kirschner and Garris. The film follows a trio of witches who are inadvertently resurrected by a teenage boy on Halloween night.
Although it was not a box office hit, over the years the film would achieve cult...
- 6/4/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
A third “Hocus Pocus” film is officially in development, Walt Disney Pictures president Sean Bailey has confirmed.
In a profile with The New York Times, Bailey stated that “Yes, ‘Hocus Pocus 3’ is happening” when discussing additional upcoming live-action projects in development at the company.
“Hocus Pocus 3” comes after the success of the 2022 sequel “Hocus Pocus 2,” which saw Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprise their children-hungry witching roles. The sequel broke records amongst the Nielson Top 10 streaming charts, taking home the largest opening weekend with 2.7 billion minutes viewed following its Sept. 30 premiere. The Disney+ movie also became the most watched original film for Disney+ over the frame of the first three days of release.
Though not all original “Hocus Pocus” characters were featured in “Hocus Pocus 2,” screenwriter Jen D’Angelo hinted at a potential sequel that would showcase Omri Katz’s Max Dennison and Vinessa Shaw’s Allison Watts.
In a profile with The New York Times, Bailey stated that “Yes, ‘Hocus Pocus 3’ is happening” when discussing additional upcoming live-action projects in development at the company.
“Hocus Pocus 3” comes after the success of the 2022 sequel “Hocus Pocus 2,” which saw Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprise their children-hungry witching roles. The sequel broke records amongst the Nielson Top 10 streaming charts, taking home the largest opening weekend with 2.7 billion minutes viewed following its Sept. 30 premiere. The Disney+ movie also became the most watched original film for Disney+ over the frame of the first three days of release.
Though not all original “Hocus Pocus” characters were featured in “Hocus Pocus 2,” screenwriter Jen D’Angelo hinted at a potential sequel that would showcase Omri Katz’s Max Dennison and Vinessa Shaw’s Allison Watts.
- 6/4/2023
- by McKinley Franklin
- Variety Film + TV
Director-choreographer Jamal Sims and “Grease” go together like “rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong.” Now, he’s channeled his lifelong love of the film as choreographer of the Paramount+ musical series “Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies.” A prequel to the movie, the series shares the origin story of Rydell High’s infamous Pink Ladies, who initiate a wave of change that ripples through the high school in 1954. But Sims was initially hesitant to join the project.
“‘Grease’ means so much to so many people,” Sims told IndieWire. “It was when I read the script by our lovely, brilliant showrunner, Annabel Oakes, I thought, ‘This is not what people are going to expect.’”
The script included brand-new characters (though keep an eye out for younger versions of two future Pink Ladies) challenging societal norms of the 1950s, as well as new songs written by Justin Tranter, who has worked with Justin Bieber,...
“‘Grease’ means so much to so many people,” Sims told IndieWire. “It was when I read the script by our lovely, brilliant showrunner, Annabel Oakes, I thought, ‘This is not what people are going to expect.’”
The script included brand-new characters (though keep an eye out for younger versions of two future Pink Ladies) challenging societal norms of the 1950s, as well as new songs written by Justin Tranter, who has worked with Justin Bieber,...
- 5/4/2023
- by Felicia Fitzpatrick
- Indiewire
Soap opera actress Elizabeth Hubbard, who dominated in the role of businesswoman Lucinda Walsh in CBS’ “As the World Turns,” had died. She was 89 years old.
Her son Jeremy Bennett confirmed the news in a Facebook post Monday, saying that she “passed over the weekend.”
“I’m sorry to say with a broken heart mi mum passed over the weekend,” the post reads. “Thank you for being an unmovable rock that guided me through life. I will try to honour your memory for as long as I live.”
Also Read:
John Regan, Rolling Stones Bassist, Dies at 71
Hubbard received eight Daytime Emmy nominations for her character on the soap opera, which told the fictional story of the wealthy Walsh and Stewart families of Oakdale, Illinois.
The actress won two Daytime Emmys — one award for Best Actress in a Daytime Drama for a Series in 1974 for the role of Dr. Althea Davis in “The Doctors,...
Her son Jeremy Bennett confirmed the news in a Facebook post Monday, saying that she “passed over the weekend.”
“I’m sorry to say with a broken heart mi mum passed over the weekend,” the post reads. “Thank you for being an unmovable rock that guided me through life. I will try to honour your memory for as long as I live.”
Also Read:
John Regan, Rolling Stones Bassist, Dies at 71
Hubbard received eight Daytime Emmy nominations for her character on the soap opera, which told the fictional story of the wealthy Walsh and Stewart families of Oakdale, Illinois.
The actress won two Daytime Emmys — one award for Best Actress in a Daytime Drama for a Series in 1974 for the role of Dr. Althea Davis in “The Doctors,...
- 4/10/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Elizabeth Hubbard, who earned eight Daytime Emmy nominations for her indelible performance as trouble-making businesswoman Lucinda Walsh on CBS’ As The World Turns, died over the weekend. She was 89.
Her death was announced by son Jeremy Bennett on Facebook. Additional details were not immediately available.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023 Photo Gallery
“I’m sorry to say with a broken heart mi mum passed over the weekend,” Bennett wrote. “Thank you for being an unmovable rock that guided me through life. I will try to honour your memory for as long as I live.”
Although best known for her portrayal of the tough-as-nails Lucinda, Hubbard won two Daytime Emmys for other performances: She won her first in 1974 for her role as Dr. Althea Davis on NBC’s The Doctors, and her second in 1976 for the daytime drama TV movie First Ladies Diaries: Edith Wilson.
Born in New York City, Hubbard began...
Her death was announced by son Jeremy Bennett on Facebook. Additional details were not immediately available.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023 Photo Gallery
“I’m sorry to say with a broken heart mi mum passed over the weekend,” Bennett wrote. “Thank you for being an unmovable rock that guided me through life. I will try to honour your memory for as long as I live.”
Although best known for her portrayal of the tough-as-nails Lucinda, Hubbard won two Daytime Emmys for other performances: She won her first in 1974 for her role as Dr. Althea Davis on NBC’s The Doctors, and her second in 1976 for the daytime drama TV movie First Ladies Diaries: Edith Wilson.
Born in New York City, Hubbard began...
- 4/10/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
One of the most memorable faces on daytime TV has died.
Elizabeth Hubbard, best known for her work on As the World Turns, passed away over the weekend.
She was 89.
Hubbard's son Jeremy Bennett shared the sad news via Facebook.
"I'm sorry to say with a broken heart my mom passed over the weekend," he wrote.
"Thank you for being an unmovable rock that guided me through life."
"I will try to honor your memory as long as I live."
Hubbard was a daytime TV staple, scoring 11 Daytime Emmy nominations throughout her impressive career.
Most of those nominations stemmed from her work on As the World Turns in the role of Lucinda Walsh.
The actress appeared in the show from 1984 until 2010.
She also worked on the NBC soap The Doctors as Dr. Althea Davis.
Hubbard appeared on that show from 1964 until 1969 before returning for two more stints before the show...
Elizabeth Hubbard, best known for her work on As the World Turns, passed away over the weekend.
She was 89.
Hubbard's son Jeremy Bennett shared the sad news via Facebook.
"I'm sorry to say with a broken heart my mom passed over the weekend," he wrote.
"Thank you for being an unmovable rock that guided me through life."
"I will try to honor your memory as long as I live."
Hubbard was a daytime TV staple, scoring 11 Daytime Emmy nominations throughout her impressive career.
Most of those nominations stemmed from her work on As the World Turns in the role of Lucinda Walsh.
The actress appeared in the show from 1984 until 2010.
She also worked on the NBC soap The Doctors as Dr. Althea Davis.
Hubbard appeared on that show from 1964 until 1969 before returning for two more stints before the show...
- 4/10/2023
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Plot: Now full-time detectives struggling to get their private eye agency off the ground, Nick and Audrey Spitz find themselves at the center of an international abduction when their friend the Maharaja is kidnapped at his own lavish wedding.
Review: There are two types of Adam Sandler movies: good ones and the ones he makes for Netflix. Since signing a massive deal with the streaming platform in 2014, Sandler has made eight films of varying quality, with all but two being lambasted by critics. Looked at by many as expensive vacations for Sandler and his friends, most of these comedies are nothing more than filler for Netflix to pad their library of original productions. When Murder Mystery premiered in 2019, the reunion of Jennifer Aniston and Sandler was a critical dud, but fans loved the blend of action and mystery. Now, Murder Mystery 2 draws from Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel,...
Review: There are two types of Adam Sandler movies: good ones and the ones he makes for Netflix. Since signing a massive deal with the streaming platform in 2014, Sandler has made eight films of varying quality, with all but two being lambasted by critics. Looked at by many as expensive vacations for Sandler and his friends, most of these comedies are nothing more than filler for Netflix to pad their library of original productions. When Murder Mystery premiered in 2019, the reunion of Jennifer Aniston and Sandler was a critical dud, but fans loved the blend of action and mystery. Now, Murder Mystery 2 draws from Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel,...
- 3/31/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Church bells are ringing, the choir's singing, and your true love is walking down the aisle. One of the happiest — but most stressful — days of every couple's lives has been great fodder for filmmakers for decades. Whether they're watching Audrey Hepburn's charm and beauty threaten William Holden's nuptials, Andi MacDowell and Hugh Grant attend multiple weddings (and one funeral), or Andy Samberg relive the same ceremony over and over again, viewers young and old alike love to laugh and cry at wedding movies.
These movies' success comes down to flexibility; there are countless narrative possibilities associated with a momentous occasion like a wedding. While we watch a couple commit to until-death-do-us-part, the screen can radiate immense love and joy, or immediate dread and regret. Laughter can fill a banquet hall just as easily as the sound of a jilted lover's tears. So, dust off that tuxedo and puff up that bridesmaid dress,...
These movies' success comes down to flexibility; there are countless narrative possibilities associated with a momentous occasion like a wedding. While we watch a couple commit to until-death-do-us-part, the screen can radiate immense love and joy, or immediate dread and regret. Laughter can fill a banquet hall just as easily as the sound of a jilted lover's tears. So, dust off that tuxedo and puff up that bridesmaid dress,...
- 3/25/2023
- by Rachel Ho
- Slash Film
Prior to donning a thong as Magic Mike, a 25-year-old Channing Tatum helped launch a different film franchise about a guy who feels the rhythm.
The star and producer of Magic Mike’s Last Dance — due out from Warner Bros. on Feb. 10 and the threequel to 2012’s Magic Mike, which was loosely based on Tatum’s own experiences as a stripper — had a few bit parts under his belt when he was cast as the male lead in 2006’s Step Up. Anne Fletcher’s directorial debut focused on troublemaking teen Tyler (Tatum), who is caught vandalizing a tony performing arts school and enlisted to help dance student Nora, played by Jenna Dewan, with her senior recital. Erik Feig, head of production at Summit Entertainment, met with writer Duane Adler (Save the Last Dance) and pitched a loose idea about a high school for aspiring performers.
“I watched Fame because we wanted...
The star and producer of Magic Mike’s Last Dance — due out from Warner Bros. on Feb. 10 and the threequel to 2012’s Magic Mike, which was loosely based on Tatum’s own experiences as a stripper — had a few bit parts under his belt when he was cast as the male lead in 2006’s Step Up. Anne Fletcher’s directorial debut focused on troublemaking teen Tyler (Tatum), who is caught vandalizing a tony performing arts school and enlisted to help dance student Nora, played by Jenna Dewan, with her senior recital. Erik Feig, head of production at Summit Entertainment, met with writer Duane Adler (Save the Last Dance) and pitched a loose idea about a high school for aspiring performers.
“I watched Fame because we wanted...
- 2/10/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Just about 30 years after the release of the original classic, Hocus Pocus 2 is proving to be a huge success for Disney+, becoming the #1 film premiere on the streaming service earlier this month. And the good news gets even better, with Deadline reporting this week that Hocus Pocus 2 also set another huge record for minutes viewed on the overall Nielsen charts.
Deadline notes, “Hocus Pocus 2 set a record for streaming minutes by a movie on Nielsen’s weekly chart, drawing more than 2.7 billion minutes of viewing from September 26 to October 2. The Disney sequel premiered on September 30, meaning only its first weekend counted toward the total.” Previous record holder was Encanto, which debuted with 2.2 billion minutes.
Deadline adds for context, “Nielsen’s weekly rankings measure only streaming via a TV screen (meaning mobile viewing is not counted) for titles on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV+, Prime Video, HBO Max and Netflix,...
Deadline notes, “Hocus Pocus 2 set a record for streaming minutes by a movie on Nielsen’s weekly chart, drawing more than 2.7 billion minutes of viewing from September 26 to October 2. The Disney sequel premiered on September 30, meaning only its first weekend counted toward the total.” Previous record holder was Encanto, which debuted with 2.2 billion minutes.
Deadline adds for context, “Nielsen’s weekly rankings measure only streaming via a TV screen (meaning mobile viewing is not counted) for titles on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV+, Prime Video, HBO Max and Netflix,...
- 10/28/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Click here to read the full article.
Hocus Pocus 2 costume designer Salvador Perez helped give the Sanderson sisters a modern update. And while the iconic witches (played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) are just as bewitching as you may remember them from the 1993 Halloween cult classic, the sequel finds the sisters with new costume details that add more to the lore of Hocus Pocus.
“This all started with Mary Vogt, the original costume designer, who is a friend of mine,” Perez tells The Hollywood Reporter about the costumes’ origins from the original film. “And when I got this, I immediately called her and I’m like, ‘So, why aren’t you doing this?’ And she’s like, ‘Look, I did the first one. I’ll let somebody else do the next version of it.’”
Coming off projects like The Sex Lives of College Girls, Never Have I Ever,...
Hocus Pocus 2 costume designer Salvador Perez helped give the Sanderson sisters a modern update. And while the iconic witches (played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) are just as bewitching as you may remember them from the 1993 Halloween cult classic, the sequel finds the sisters with new costume details that add more to the lore of Hocus Pocus.
“This all started with Mary Vogt, the original costume designer, who is a friend of mine,” Perez tells The Hollywood Reporter about the costumes’ origins from the original film. “And when I got this, I immediately called her and I’m like, ‘So, why aren’t you doing this?’ And she’s like, ‘Look, I did the first one. I’ll let somebody else do the next version of it.’”
Coming off projects like The Sex Lives of College Girls, Never Have I Ever,...
- 10/18/2022
- by Sydney Odman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
[The following story contains spoilers from Hocus Pocus 2.]
When the team behind Hocus Pocus 2 decided to embark upon a sequel to the beloved Halloween film, they faced the challenge of trying to figure out how to capture what people loved about the original movie while not repeating the same story from 1993.
“It’s a constant pull,” director Anne Fletcher told The Hollywood Reporter at the Hocus Pocus 2 premiere in New York last month. “You’re thinking as you’re developing the script and putting it up on its feet and creating the sets, the costumes, the cast. You’re constantly thinking what would fans love to see, what would feel too repetitious, what would be just the right amount of spice that the fans would love, so it was constantly on my mind. And I think we balanced things out in the perfect space, just all of...
[The following story contains spoilers from Hocus Pocus 2.]
When the team behind Hocus Pocus 2 decided to embark upon a sequel to the beloved Halloween film, they faced the challenge of trying to figure out how to capture what people loved about the original movie while not repeating the same story from 1993.
“It’s a constant pull,” director Anne Fletcher told The Hollywood Reporter at the Hocus Pocus 2 premiere in New York last month. “You’re thinking as you’re developing the script and putting it up on its feet and creating the sets, the costumes, the cast. You’re constantly thinking what would fans love to see, what would feel too repetitious, what would be just the right amount of spice that the fans would love, so it was constantly on my mind. And I think we balanced things out in the perfect space, just all of...
- 10/10/2022
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
(L-r): Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson, Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson, and Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson in Hocus Pocus 2, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Matt Kennedy. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved. When Hocus Pocus was initially released in 1993, the film was poorly reviewed and received. But, in the decades since then, the film has evolved into a camp classic. As the film continued to get attention via airings, streaming, and home video sales, the decision was made to bring back the original film’s three stars — Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy — for a sequel. When the new movie’s director, Anne Fletcher, got to see the three stars in action on the set, she realized there was definitely a magical kind of synergy happening that made the trio so much more than the sum of its parts. (Click on the media bar...
- 10/8/2022
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Just about 30 years after the release of Hocus Pocus, the beloved Halloween classic has finally spawned a sequel with Hocus Pocus 2, and it looks to be a huge success for Disney+.
Hocus Pocus 2, which premiered Only on Disney+ this past Friday, has become the #1 film premiere on Disney+ to date, the streaming equivalent to topping the box office charts.
This statistic is based on “hours watched domestically in the first 3 days,” Disney+ notes.
Clearly, audiences across the United States were hungry to see the return of the Sanderson Sisters, with Hocus Pocus 2 making for one of this Halloween season’s first big events. For years those who never found much to love about the original movie have been wondering how big the fanbase really is, and it would seem we now a definitive answer to that question.
Yes, haters. People actually do love Hocus Pocus. And we love it too.
Hocus Pocus 2, which premiered Only on Disney+ this past Friday, has become the #1 film premiere on Disney+ to date, the streaming equivalent to topping the box office charts.
This statistic is based on “hours watched domestically in the first 3 days,” Disney+ notes.
Clearly, audiences across the United States were hungry to see the return of the Sanderson Sisters, with Hocus Pocus 2 making for one of this Halloween season’s first big events. For years those who never found much to love about the original movie have been wondering how big the fanbase really is, and it would seem we now a definitive answer to that question.
Yes, haters. People actually do love Hocus Pocus. And we love it too.
- 10/4/2022
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
“Hocus Pocus” was released in 1993, and the fantasy about a comedic trio of witches played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimi failed to cast a spell over critics or the box office. But nearly three decades later, the film is a Halloween cult classic adored by fans who received a treat on September 30, 2022 with the release of “Hocus Pocus 2″ on Disney+. After their defeat at the hands of two teenagers, a child, a talking cat, and a zombie, the Sanderson Sisters are back for another adventure directed by Anne Fletcher. With a score of 60 on Rotten Tomatoes, history may have repeated itself in regards to the critics, who had a mixed reaction to the long awaited sequel.
Kimberly Pierce of Geek Girl Authority begins by noting the nostalgic nature around the film and the expectations that arose as a result. When our favorite witchy trio is brought back to Salem,...
Kimberly Pierce of Geek Girl Authority begins by noting the nostalgic nature around the film and the expectations that arose as a result. When our favorite witchy trio is brought back to Salem,...
- 10/3/2022
- by Vincent Mandile
- Gold Derby
Hocus Pocus 2 Review — Hocus Pocus 2 (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Anne Fletcher, written by Jen D’Angelo, David Kirschner and Blake Harris and starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Froy Gutierrez, Sam Richardson, Doug Jones, Tony Hale, Taylor Henderson, Nina Kitchen, Juju [...]
Continue reading: Film Review: Hocus Pocus 2 (2022): Entertaining New Comedy Sequel Will Cast a Spell on its Audience...
Continue reading: Film Review: Hocus Pocus 2 (2022): Entertaining New Comedy Sequel Will Cast a Spell on its Audience...
- 10/2/2022
- by Thomas Duffy
- Film-Book
It’s been 30 years since the first “Hocus Pocus,” which ended with the Sanderson sisters Winnie (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy) disintegrating. The Sanderson sisters are back in “Hocus Pocus 2,” now streaming on Disney+.
After a brief backstory intro, Salem teen Becca (Whitney Peak) is fooled into lighting the black flame candle by Gilbert (Sam Richardson), the owner of the magic shop, formerly the Sanderson sisters’ home. And thus, the sisters are resurrected.
Costume designer Sal Perez resurrected the trio’s outfits and then went even farther to breathe new life into the beloved property.
At the end of the first film, the sisters’ clothes also disintegrated along with their bodies. Perez says, “With that mindset, I thought, ‘What would they come back in?’”
The sequel’s director, Anne Fletcher, guided Perez. “She said, ‘I want everything to have a meaning, don’t just arbitrarily put something on it,...
After a brief backstory intro, Salem teen Becca (Whitney Peak) is fooled into lighting the black flame candle by Gilbert (Sam Richardson), the owner of the magic shop, formerly the Sanderson sisters’ home. And thus, the sisters are resurrected.
Costume designer Sal Perez resurrected the trio’s outfits and then went even farther to breathe new life into the beloved property.
At the end of the first film, the sisters’ clothes also disintegrated along with their bodies. Perez says, “With that mindset, I thought, ‘What would they come back in?’”
The sequel’s director, Anne Fletcher, guided Perez. “She said, ‘I want everything to have a meaning, don’t just arbitrarily put something on it,...
- 10/1/2022
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on Wbgr-fm on September 29th, 2022, reviewing “Hocus Pocus 2,” a Disney sequel to the bewitching 1993 original, streaming on Disney+ beginning September 30th.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
The magical Sanderson witch sisters return from their exile, which happened in 1993, after they were brought back from Salem, Mass, circa 1600s. Winnie (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy) and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) are conjured back to modern Salem by witch-in-training Becca (Whitney Peak), but after the Winnie and her sisters threaten to destroy the town and eat Becca plus her friends – Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) – the teenagers must find a way to send their elders back to the next exile.
“Hocus Pocus 2” began streaming on Disney+ beginning September 30th. Featuring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham and Tony Hale. Screenplay by Jen D’Angelo.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
The magical Sanderson witch sisters return from their exile, which happened in 1993, after they were brought back from Salem, Mass, circa 1600s. Winnie (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy) and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) are conjured back to modern Salem by witch-in-training Becca (Whitney Peak), but after the Winnie and her sisters threaten to destroy the town and eat Becca plus her friends – Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) – the teenagers must find a way to send their elders back to the next exile.
“Hocus Pocus 2” began streaming on Disney+ beginning September 30th. Featuring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham and Tony Hale. Screenplay by Jen D’Angelo.
- 10/1/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Click here to read the full article.
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including red carpets for Hocus Pocus 2, A Friend of the Family, Entergalactic and the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s Albie Awards.
Hocus Pocus 2 premiere
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy premiered their highly anticipated Disney+ sequel in New York on Tuesday, along with newcomers Sam Richardson, Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo.
Anne Fletcher, Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Adam Shankman, Lynn Harris and Sam Richardson Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo Bette Midler
Entergalactic premiere
On Wednesday, Netflix hosted a brunch and evening premiere for new series Entergalactic, the latter at the The Paris Theater in New York City. Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, Jessica Williams, Ty Dolla ign, Laura Harrier and Teyana Taylor were in attendance along with executive producers Kenya Barris,...
Here’s a look at this week’s biggest premieres, parties and openings in Los Angeles and New York, including red carpets for Hocus Pocus 2, A Friend of the Family, Entergalactic and the Clooney Foundation for Justice’s Albie Awards.
Hocus Pocus 2 premiere
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy premiered their highly anticipated Disney+ sequel in New York on Tuesday, along with newcomers Sam Richardson, Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo.
Anne Fletcher, Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Adam Shankman, Lynn Harris and Sam Richardson Whitney Peak and Belissa Escobedo Bette Midler
Entergalactic premiere
On Wednesday, Netflix hosted a brunch and evening premiere for new series Entergalactic, the latter at the The Paris Theater in New York City. Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi, Jessica Williams, Ty Dolla ign, Laura Harrier and Teyana Taylor were in attendance along with executive producers Kenya Barris,...
- 9/30/2022
- by Kirsten Chuba
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dir: Anne Fletcher. Starring: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Sam Richardson, Doug Jones, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Tony Hale, Hannah Waddingham. Cert PG, 104 minutes
Hocus Pocus has had quite an afterlife. It’s been 29 years since a virgin first lit the black flame candle, resurrecting a trio of Salem witches and igniting the breathless disdain of film critics. An overboiling cauldron of garish performances, baroque plotting, and immortal cats, the 1993 Disney comedy was called “an unholy mess” by The New York Times, while the venerable critic Roger Ebert said the film was “desperately in need of self-discipline”. But this October the Disney-run US channel Freeform will air Hocus Pocus 13 times across 31 days. One studio’s mess is a wholly owned subsidiary’s black magic.
It’s on the back of these cultishly popular reruns that Disney has awarded the Sanderson Sisters a sequel, to be released...
Hocus Pocus has had quite an afterlife. It’s been 29 years since a virgin first lit the black flame candle, resurrecting a trio of Salem witches and igniting the breathless disdain of film critics. An overboiling cauldron of garish performances, baroque plotting, and immortal cats, the 1993 Disney comedy was called “an unholy mess” by The New York Times, while the venerable critic Roger Ebert said the film was “desperately in need of self-discipline”. But this October the Disney-run US channel Freeform will air Hocus Pocus 13 times across 31 days. One studio’s mess is a wholly owned subsidiary’s black magic.
It’s on the back of these cultishly popular reruns that Disney has awarded the Sanderson Sisters a sequel, to be released...
- 9/30/2022
- by Amanda Whiting
- The Independent - Film
Dir: Anne Fletcher. Starring: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Sam Richardson, Doug Jones, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Tony Hale, Hannah Waddingham. Cert PG, 104 minutes
Hocus Pocus has had quite an afterlife. It’s been 29 years since a virgin first lit the black flame candle, resurrecting a trio of Salem witches and igniting the breathless disdain of film critics. An overboiling cauldron of garish performances, baroque plotting, and immortal cats, the 1993 Disney comedy was called “an unholy mess” by The New York Times, while the venerable critic Roger Ebert said the film was “desperately in need of self-discipline”. But this October the Disney-run US channel Freeform will air Hocus Pocus 13 times across 31 days. One studio’s mess is a wholly owned subsidiary’s black magic.
It’s on the back of these cultishly popular reruns that Disney has awarded the Sanderson Sisters a sequel, to be released...
Hocus Pocus has had quite an afterlife. It’s been 29 years since a virgin first lit the black flame candle, resurrecting a trio of Salem witches and igniting the breathless disdain of film critics. An overboiling cauldron of garish performances, baroque plotting, and immortal cats, the 1993 Disney comedy was called “an unholy mess” by The New York Times, while the venerable critic Roger Ebert said the film was “desperately in need of self-discipline”. But this October the Disney-run US channel Freeform will air Hocus Pocus 13 times across 31 days. One studio’s mess is a wholly owned subsidiary’s black magic.
It’s on the back of these cultishly popular reruns that Disney has awarded the Sanderson Sisters a sequel, to be released...
- 9/30/2022
- by Amanda Whiting
- The Independent - Film
It’s unlikely even Disney knew they had a classic Halloween scene on their hands when they put microphones in front of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, and said “sing.” Yet the original Hocus Pocus of 1993 conjured real magic from the moment Midler teased, “I put a spell on you, and now you’re mine” to the scene’s finale in which Midler cursed all the adults of Salem to dance until they die! Thirty years on, that spell endures still, making the scene and the movie it’s borne from a stone cold holiday classic.
Hence Hocus Pocus 2’s fundamental dilemma.
Redoing such iconography is always the greatest intimidation, yet biggest audience expectation, that comes with remakes, reboots, and legacy sequels. And it’s a kind of credit to Hocus Pocus 2 that the movie is unafraid of going full tilt for it. In fact,...
Hence Hocus Pocus 2’s fundamental dilemma.
Redoing such iconography is always the greatest intimidation, yet biggest audience expectation, that comes with remakes, reboots, and legacy sequels. And it’s a kind of credit to Hocus Pocus 2 that the movie is unafraid of going full tilt for it. In fact,...
- 9/30/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
(L-r): Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson, Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson, and Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson in Disney’s live-action Hocus Pocus 2, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Disney Enterprises, Inc. © 2022 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Many of us look forward to the end of the year because those Winter holidays are a time to reunite and reconnect with dear old friends. But what if you don’t want to wait out those eight weeks or so for the month between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas? I mean, Halloween is the big Fall holiday, the perfect one to visit with a few movie buddies we haven’t seen for (gasp) thirty years. That’s what the fine folks at Disney+ are thinking. So, make sure you’ve got an extra large punch bowl, light the jack o’ lanterns, and save the big sofa for those Sanderson...
Many of us look forward to the end of the year because those Winter holidays are a time to reunite and reconnect with dear old friends. But what if you don’t want to wait out those eight weeks or so for the month between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas? I mean, Halloween is the big Fall holiday, the perfect one to visit with a few movie buddies we haven’t seen for (gasp) thirty years. That’s what the fine folks at Disney+ are thinking. So, make sure you’ve got an extra large punch bowl, light the jack o’ lanterns, and save the big sofa for those Sanderson...
- 9/30/2022
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Sanderson sisters are poised to brew more mayhem in Hocus Pocus 2. Here’s how you can easily conjure the witchy sequel for weekend streaming.
Hocus Pocus 2 makes its Disney+ debut on Friday, Sept. 30, and reunites the original 1993 movie’s stars — Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy — as Winifred, Sarah and Mary Sanderson.
More from TVLineMighty Ducks: Game Changers Recap: A New Coach Brings New Challenges -- Grade the Season 2 PremiereAndor's Genevieve O'Reilly Celebrates Mon Mothma's Grand Entrance: 'You See That She's in Danger, Taking Risks'She-Hulk Sneak Peek: Blonsky's Back, With a Pair of Marvel-ous...
Hocus Pocus 2 makes its Disney+ debut on Friday, Sept. 30, and reunites the original 1993 movie’s stars — Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy — as Winifred, Sarah and Mary Sanderson.
More from TVLineMighty Ducks: Game Changers Recap: A New Coach Brings New Challenges -- Grade the Season 2 PremiereAndor's Genevieve O'Reilly Celebrates Mon Mothma's Grand Entrance: 'You See That She's in Danger, Taking Risks'She-Hulk Sneak Peek: Blonsky's Back, With a Pair of Marvel-ous...
- 9/29/2022
- by How to Stream Team
- TVLine.com
It took almost 30 years and a little bit of magic to deliver Hocus Pocus 2. The original film, released in 1993, wasn’t a hit with audiences or critics, and it’s believed that the film may have lost about 16.5 million in its original theatrical run. However, through positive word of mouth and annual screenings on the Disney Channel and Freeform (formerly ABC Family), Hocus Pocus eventually caught on with the audiences that mattered and became a solid home video grosser for the House of Mouse. With legacy sequels en vogue and nostalgia constantly mined by the big studios, Poof, production began on Hocus Pocus 2.
The original film centered on the Sanderson Sisters, three Salem witches condemned to death in 1693 after they drained the life force of a young girl and cursed her brother to live an eternity as a black cat. Before their execution, the witches cast a curse...
The original film centered on the Sanderson Sisters, three Salem witches condemned to death in 1693 after they drained the life force of a young girl and cursed her brother to live an eternity as a black cat. Before their execution, the witches cast a curse...
- 9/29/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The Salem witch sisters are back for a straight-to-streamer reunion this week with the release of “Hocus Pocus 2,” the highly anticipated sequel to the 1993 cult classic. The reboot arrives on Disney+ on Friday, Sept. 30.
Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprise their roles as the Sanderson sisters in the reboot, nearly three decades after their fabulously flamboyant performances turned what was expected to be a typical comedy with fleeting success into a campy cult favorite that has become a Halloween staple for millions across the country.
Read More: The ‘Hocus Pocus’ Sequel Has Created Some Truly Insane (And Inspired) Merch
In the new film, director Anne Fletcher offers viewers an origin story for the Salem sisters who feel misunderstood and “ahead of their time” until they’re finally bequeathed the spell book that enables all the antics in the original film. The bulk of the film, however,...
Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprise their roles as the Sanderson sisters in the reboot, nearly three decades after their fabulously flamboyant performances turned what was expected to be a typical comedy with fleeting success into a campy cult favorite that has become a Halloween staple for millions across the country.
Read More: The ‘Hocus Pocus’ Sequel Has Created Some Truly Insane (And Inspired) Merch
In the new film, director Anne Fletcher offers viewers an origin story for the Salem sisters who feel misunderstood and “ahead of their time” until they’re finally bequeathed the spell book that enables all the antics in the original film. The bulk of the film, however,...
- 9/29/2022
- by Anna Tingley
- Variety Film + TV
Plot: It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow’s Eve.
Review: For three decades, fans have clamored for a sequel to Hocus Pocus. The Disney film has maintained a cult following thanks to a cheeky blend of humor and scares appropriate for all ages. While a sequel was released in the form of a 2018 novel that directly followed the plot and characters of the original movie, it took until now for Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy to reunite on screen as the Sanderson Sisters. Under the direction of Anne Fletcher, Hocus Pocus 2 was guaranteed to be a hit this Halloween season regardless of the quality of the film.
Review: For three decades, fans have clamored for a sequel to Hocus Pocus. The Disney film has maintained a cult following thanks to a cheeky blend of humor and scares appropriate for all ages. While a sequel was released in the form of a 2018 novel that directly followed the plot and characters of the original movie, it took until now for Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy to reunite on screen as the Sanderson Sisters. Under the direction of Anne Fletcher, Hocus Pocus 2 was guaranteed to be a hit this Halloween season regardless of the quality of the film.
- 9/29/2022
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
At the very least, the Mouse House avoids the laziest possible mistake with “Hocus Pocus 2.” This sequel to the childhood and camp classic, which arrives nearly three decades after the original bewitched audiences, does not amount to just a slightly updated remake of the first film for a cynical cash grab. But all that really means is opening up director Anne Fletcher and screenwriter Jen D’Angelo to make a different set of mistakes.
Continue reading ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ Is Double The Toil And Not Worth Your Trouble [Review] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ Is Double The Toil And Not Worth Your Trouble [Review] at The Playlist.
- 9/29/2022
- by Marshall Shaffer
- The Playlist
The Sanderson sisters are back! Almost thirty years ago, Hocus Pocus introduced a trio of memorable Salem witches who wreaked havoc on Halloween night when accidentally resurrected by the Black Flame Candle. The candle gets lit once more in the long-awaited sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, introducing a new generation to the enchanting world of Halloween witchery. Nearly three decades later, the Sanderson sisters still cast a magical spell, offering nostalgic callbacks with a modern take on sisterhood.
It’s Halloween in Salem. High school student Becca (Whitney Peak) picks up last-minute supplies from a local witchcraft store. Store owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson) regales a costumed audience with tales of infamous Salem witches Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy). Or rather, a story that reveals why the young sisters turned to witchcraft in the first place. Becca heads to her favorite spot in the woods...
It’s Halloween in Salem. High school student Becca (Whitney Peak) picks up last-minute supplies from a local witchcraft store. Store owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson) regales a costumed audience with tales of infamous Salem witches Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy). Or rather, a story that reveals why the young sisters turned to witchcraft in the first place. Becca heads to her favorite spot in the woods...
- 9/29/2022
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
As the latest straight-to-streaming movie for Disney+, Hocus Pocus 2 has no reason for its existence other than to keep people on the platform after their annual viewing of Hocus Pocus (1993). A by-the-numbers rehash powered by commendable enthusiasm from its main cast, it’s just good enough to satisfy fans, but won’t earn the Sanderson Sisters any new admirers.
The original cult film found the coven of Winifred, Sarah, and Mary whisked from 1600s Salem to the modern day, where their desire to feast on children’s souls was thwarted by a couple tykes on Halloween night. Nearly 30 years later, the film resurrects the sisters once again after a duplicitous magic shop owner tricks a few teenagers into lighting a black candle during their Halloween spell-casting.
The film is basically 90 minutes of fish-out-of-water gags — the sisters are vexed by automatic doors, delighted by Roombas and oddly unmoved by cellphone...
The original cult film found the coven of Winifred, Sarah, and Mary whisked from 1600s Salem to the modern day, where their desire to feast on children’s souls was thwarted by a couple tykes on Halloween night. Nearly 30 years later, the film resurrects the sisters once again after a duplicitous magic shop owner tricks a few teenagers into lighting a black candle during their Halloween spell-casting.
The film is basically 90 minutes of fish-out-of-water gags — the sisters are vexed by automatic doors, delighted by Roombas and oddly unmoved by cellphone...
- 9/29/2022
- by Chris Williams
- CinemaNerdz
What strange sorcery is this that “Hocus Pocus” — a so-so comedy turned campy cult favorite starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as absolutely fabulous Salem witch sisters — should be getting a sequel nearly three decades after its 1993 release? At the time, Variety speculated that, were it not for the film’s three stars, “‘Hocus Pocus’ wouldn’t seem out of place on the Disney Channel, and perhaps belongs there.” In a sense, that’s what’s happened with this follow-up, aimed to breathe some life into the graveyard that is Disney+.
The sequel’s existence owes less to popular demand (the original earned a respectable 39.3 million stateside and went on to become a Halloween season staple) than to the realization that the film had tapped into preteens’ fascination with witchcraft before Harry Potter came along. It can be no coincidence that the new feature lifts so much...
The sequel’s existence owes less to popular demand (the original earned a respectable 39.3 million stateside and went on to become a Halloween season staple) than to the realization that the film had tapped into preteens’ fascination with witchcraft before Harry Potter came along. It can be no coincidence that the new feature lifts so much...
- 9/29/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
There isn’t a lot that can go wrong when you put three fabulous character actresses onscreen together, but you have to give them a little something to work with. “Hocus Pocus 2” — the sequel to one of the most beloved Halloween comedies of all time — didn’t even have to be very good to get people to watch it. Anyone who grew up in the ’90s watches the original at least once in October. This year, the fun continues with a totally satisfactory sequel that brings the Sanderson sisters back to life one more time. Ok, so the plot is basically the same and the jokes mere updates to the original. Why mess with a good thing when you can simply recreate it?
For those either old enough or young enough to wonder why anyone should care about “Hocus Pocus 2,” we have three names for you: Bette Midler,...
For those either old enough or young enough to wonder why anyone should care about “Hocus Pocus 2,” we have three names for you: Bette Midler,...
- 9/29/2022
- by Jude Dry
- Indiewire
Click here to read the full article.
Twenty-nine years ago, the Sanderson sisters, an abrasive trio of siblings, put a spell on Disney audiences. Or at least they tried to.
Kenny Ortega’s Hocus Pocus wasn’t initially met with critical or even commercial acclaim, but over the years the entertainingly odd Halloween film has gained a cult following. My younger sisters and I came to the movie years after its release — an accidental encounter while browsing channels. We relished in its weird, off-kilter tone. From then on, watching Winnie (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy) chase young children through Salem, Mass., on Halloween night became our tradition.
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...
Twenty-nine years ago, the Sanderson sisters, an abrasive trio of siblings, put a spell on Disney audiences. Or at least they tried to.
Kenny Ortega’s Hocus Pocus wasn’t initially met with critical or even commercial acclaim, but over the years the entertainingly odd Halloween film has gained a cult following. My younger sisters and I came to the movie years after its release — an accidental encounter while browsing channels. We relished in its weird, off-kilter tone. From then on, watching Winnie (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy) chase young children through Salem, Mass., on Halloween night became our tradition.
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...
- 9/29/2022
- by Lovia Gyarkye
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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