Hocus Pocus Writer Speaks Out on Return of Classic Cast and Crew

Recent years have seen the Halloween season saturated with the family-friendly adventure Hocus Pocus, which originally premiered in 1993, resulting in reports and rumors that the film would be getting a follow-up adventure. Due to that excitement, various reputable claims have emerged about a new film being developed in the series, but with so few details about the project being officially confirmed by Disney, many fans have been left wondering if original stars Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker would return as the Sanderson Sisters or if a new group of actresses would take over the franchise, with original Hocus Pocus writer Mick Garris detailing how he thinks the success of the first film rests squarely on the shoulders of the initial trio.

“I’m excited about it, but I really think the main reason the movie worked was the Sanderson Sisters, those actresses in those roles, those performances, that I think is the key to that movie’s long life,” Garris shared with ComicBook.com. “It was only modestly successful when it came out, at best. And I think they are the reasons that it’s still around since it came out in 1993. And I would love to see them return in it. I think that’s the plan, but I don’t know. I heard that that is what’s happening, and I believe it’s going to be for Disney+, but I’m not involved in it, which is fine. You don’t always want to revisit all of the touchstones of your past.”

While Midler, Najimy, and Parker have all expressed their interest in returning to the series whenever the subject comes up, no concrete details about such an opportunity have been revealed.

Garris wrote the original script for the film, though a number of other filmmakers came in over the years to make tweaks to the screenplay before it finally landed in theaters. The filmmaker went on to note that, despite a new group of creatives tackling the project, he looks forward to whatever they come up with.

“None of the original creative team other than [producer] David Kirschner is involved so far as I know,” Garris confessed. “It’s a new writer, it’s a new director, Alan Shankman, who has done lots of musical work and the like, and is very, very talented, just like Kenny Ortega, who directed the original, was a choreographer before he became a director. And even though the movie wasn’t a musical, it feels musical, the way the witches walk in unison down the street, the timing of some of the routines. It’s very, very musically paced, and I think that that’s a great choice for this. A lot of people resent when things are being remade or rebooted or sequel-ized and the like, but I want them all to work. I want them to be great, and I’m excited as a member of the audience to see what they do with it.”

Garris even revealed that there were some tentative talks for him to direct the new film, yet these plans never moved forward.

“David Kirschner is a producer who came up with the original idea, who is a great guy,” Garris pointed out. “He was hopeful that maybe I would come in and direct, even though there would be another writer. That didn’t work out.”

Stay tuned for details on the new Hocus Pocus. Garris has a new book, These Evil Things We Do, which is available in paperback and Kindle from Amazon. Signed copies are available from Dark Delicacies and Overlook Connection. You can also check out Garris’ podcast, Post Mortem, in which he interviews prominent figures in the world of horror.

What would you like to see in the new film? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!