Hocus Pocus 2 Is Disney+'s Biggest Film Premiere

Hocus Pocus 2 is a holiday hit for Disney+. On Tuesday, the streaming service reported that Hocus Pocus 2, the Disney+ Original that is a sequel to the 1993 original Hocus Pocus, is Disney+'s most viewed film premiere domestically to date, measured by hours streamed in the first three days of its release. It did not reveal the number of hours streamed. The film has received a mixed critical reception from critics, with many saying it plays mostly as nostalgic fan service for fans of the original movie. Hocus Pocus 2 currently 62% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which is on the low end of "fresh." The film's critics' consensus on the review aggregator reads, "Hocus Pocus 2 is basically a boiling cauldron of nostalgia, but that's just enough for this belated sequel to cast a reasonably effective spell."

ComicBook.com's Patrick Cavanaugh gave Hocus Pocus 2 a 3 out of 5 in his review of the film. He writes, "Still, with the original Hocus Pocus script evolving over the course of a decade before the film finally landed in theaters, only to get stomped into oblivion upon official release, everyone involved in honoring the concept approached this sequel from a place of love and it's a joy to get to see these characters earn long-overdue praise. Midler, Parker, and Najimy are reveling in their return, deservedly so, while supporting characters also give the villains a run for their money. While many audiences will be bewitched by any adventure featuring the Sanderson sisters, others will recognize we've been given tricks disguised as treats."

In Hocus Pocus 2, "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."

Hocus Pocus 2 stars Bette Midler (The First Wives Club, Beaches), Sarah Jessica Parker (Sex and the City, Divorce), Kathy Najimy (Sister Act, Younger), Sam Richardson (The Tomorrow War), Doug Jones (The Shape of Water), Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl), Belissa Escobedo (American Horror Stories), Lilia Buckingham (Dirt), Froy Gutierrez (Teen Wolf), with Tony Hale (Veep), and Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso). Anne Fletcher (Dumplin', The Proposal) directed Hocus Pocus 2 from a screenplay by Jen D'Angelo (Workaholics), based on a story by David Kirschner (Hocus Pocus, Chucky) & Blake Harris, and Jen D'Angelo. Lynn Harris (King Richard, The Shallows) produced the film, with Ralph Winter (Hocus Pocus, the X-Men franchise), David Kirschner (Hocus Pocus, Chucky), and Adam Shankman (Disenchanted, Hairspray) serving as executive producers.

Hocus Pocus 2 is streaming now on Disney+.