Original Hocus Pocus Screenwriter Is "Disgusted" By Pro-Trump Parody Poster

Various internet services allow users to submit their own artwork to have it printed on any number [...]

By Patrick Cavanaugh

Various internet services allow users to submit their own artwork to have it printed on any number of products, with original Hocus Pocus writer Mick Garris noting that he was "disgusted" by products he came across that use the poster for his family-friendly film as a way to depict a pro-Donald Trump agenda. In the years since he took office, Trump has claimed he has been the target of a "witch hunt" by Democrats, with one supporter replacing the likenesses of the film's antagonists with politicians Adam Schiff, Nancy Pelosi, and Jerry Nadler, putting Trump with an American flag as the poster's focal point.

"As one of the creators of HOCUS POCUS, I am disgusted by this putrid act of evasion," Garris shared on Twitter. "This is the worst president in our history, and I object in every way his attempt to co-opt, no matter how poorly, our creation. Leave our witches alone, oh Evil One."

Rather than linking to the products, Garris shared a screenshot of the parody while linking to an article about the artwork.

Hocus Pocus first debuted in theaters in the summer of 1993, putting it up against the blockbuster Jurassic Park, preventing it from becoming a major success. In recent years, the film has earned a cult following thanks to regular syndicated broadcasts on a variety of networks.

The film had a long path towards its current acclaim, with Garris having originally written his script years before it ever landed in theaters. Over the course of that journey, various other writers contributed to the project, resulting in deviations from the original concept. Despite those changes, Garris is still immensely proud to have helped create it.

"It's a very, very happy part of my resume that I'm proud of, and that probably more people know me from that, despite my move away from family filmmaking since then, than know me in our very limited slice of the pie that our genre occupies," Garris previously shared with ComicBook.com. "If I can be involved in it as a consultant or as a director or something like that, I would be glad to be involved."

Earlier this month, reports emerged that Disney+ would be developing an official sequel to the film.

What do you think of the filmmaker's remarks? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

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