Hocus Pocus 2 Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Out

The long awaited sequel to Hocus Pocus is hitting Disney+ just in time for Halloween season 2022, and now we know that the film’s official Rotten Tomatoes score is. At the time of writing this, Hocus Pocus 2 has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 71%, with 34 reviews having been submitted by critics. The current breakdown is that 67% of critics seem to rate the film “Fresh” by Rotten Tomatoes standards, while 32% feel it is Rotten. While that’s not a resounding amount of praise for the film, it’s a solid indicator that the sequel recaptures at least some of the magic of the cult-classic original. 

Hocus Pocus 2 brings back Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as witches Winifred “Winnie” Sanderson, Sarah Sanderson, and Mary Sanderson (respectively). Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso), Tony Hale (Veep), Sam Richardson (Veep), Doug Jones (Star Trek: Discovery), Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham and Belissa Escobedo all co-star. Anne Fletcher directs from a screenplay Jen D’Angelo. 

In ComicBook.com’s review of Hocus Pocus 2, critic Patrick Cavanaugh said the following: 

Considering the ways in which it has been dominating the Halloween season in recent years, it’s hard to imagine that the original Hocus Pocus initially earned an underwhelming reaction from audiences. However, hitting theaters in the summer didn’t do the spooky effort any favors, nor did debuting in the weeks following Jurassic Park’s cinematic domination worldwide. Luckily, the film’s frequent broadcasts on the Disney Channel and growing home video markets allowed the film to find its audience over the years, and now that this audience has started having kids of their own, each year sees the film’s popularity only grow more passionate, to the point that we even get a sequel. Hocus Pocus 2 feels like catching up with old friends in all the best ways, reminding you of the emotional connection you have to the on-screen personalities and the many hours spent with them, but once that charm wears off, you forget why you reunited with them in the first place.

USA Today’s Brian Truitt emodies the end of the critical spectrum that is not feeling the magic with Hocus Pocus 2: 

With its well-trodden fish-out-of-water and teen-movie tropes, “Hocus Pocus 2” succeeds in showing that not every popular movie needs a starry sequel decades after the fact. (Tom Cruise’s new “Top Gun” is the rare exception.) Midler, Najimy and especially Parker gave a needed spark to the mediocre original that’s missing in the sequel, an accursed undertaking that lacks any of the spell it cast on nostalgic fans.

Hocus Pocus 2 will stream on Disney+ starting on September 30th.