Hocus Pocus 2 premiere date summoned by Disney+

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Double double toil and trouble, the Sanderson Sisters are set to return in 2022 to cause a holiday kerfuffle. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy will reprise their roles as the delightfully wicked witches in the live-action comedy Hocus Pocus 2, the spooky sequel to Disney’s 1993 Halloween cult classic Hocus Pocus. The film will premiere exclusively on Disney+ in 2022. In addition to conjuring a premiere window for the anticipated sequel, Disney also summoned the project's official title card.

Production for Hocus Pocus 2 is set to begin this fall under the direction of Anne Fletcher (The Proposal, 27 Dresses), who is taking over directing responsibilities from her friend and colleague Adam Shankman (Hairspray, The Wedding Planner), with Lynn Harris (The Shallows) serving as producer. Shankman is currently in production on Disenchanted for Disney, which he is directing, but will remain on this project as an executive producer along with Ralph Winter (Adrift) and David Kirschner (Curse of Chucky). Steven Haft (Tigerland) is co-producer.

“As heartbroken as I am that I won’t be able to direct my friends Bette, Sarah Jessica, and Kathy in what is sure to be nothing short of a major event for Disney+ due to scheduling conflicts, I couldn’t be more pleased to be handing over the reins to Anne, who has brought so much laughter and joy into people’s lives with her previous work,” says executive producer Adam Shankman. “I am still grateful and proud to help shepherd this ingenious project as executive producer alongside producer Lynn Harris, whom I have loved and admired as a colleague and friend since she helped get me the job choreographing ‘Boogie Nights.’”

“Now more than ever, people need to laugh. We should be laughing every day, and there is so much fun to be had with these three unbelievable women playing delicious characters from such a beloved film,” says director Anne Fletcher. “I am so grateful to be able to play a part in bringing these witches back to life, and to be working with my friends at Disney again makes it all the more special. This is a movie for everyone, from the fans who grew up with the first film to the next generation of viewers, and I can’t wait to get started.”

Beloved? More like sacred. Have you seen the Hocus Pocus displays when Halloween City rolls into town? That section is practically a shrine to Disney's 1993 classic, and I can't imagine celebrating the spookiest holiday of the year without an annual rewatch. Here's hoping the Sanderson Sisters still have plenty of magic left in them for another film full of hilarious Halloween hijinks.