Sean got his big break in 1993 after starring in Disney's Halloween classic, Hocus Pocus. Cast as Thackeray Binx – a 17th-century teen cursed by the Sanderson sisters and forced to wander the earth as a cat – it was the actor's enchanting and heartwarming performance that made him a star.
Why didn't they use Sean Murray's voice in Hocus Pocus?
In 2017, Marsden told the Daily Beast that producers dubbed his voice over Murray's because the actor sounded "contemporary" and they thought it would be more realistic if Binx had "an affected accent" from the same time period as the witches.
During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Murray opened up about Hocus Pocus 2's returning stars. The original movie actor explained why he and several other stars did not return for Hocus Pocus 2, citing the sequel's need to simply move onto a new story involving the Sanderson Sisters.
When Sean Murray got the role of Thackery Binx (a.k.a. Emily's heroic older brother) in Hocus Pocus, he technically was only 16 years old at the time. Due to his young age, he technically only had secured a few credits to his name by 1993.
Partner(s) William "Billy" Butcherson is a supporting character in Disney's 1993 film Hocus Pocus and its 2022 sequel, portrayed by actor Doug Jones. He was the obsession of Winifred Sanderson, whom she poisoned after she caught him cheating on her with her youngest sister, Sarah.
What happened to the actor who played Max in Hocus Pocus?
Omri Katz (Max Dennison)
Of all the “Hocus Pocus” stars, Omri Katz is the only one who largely left Hollywood after starring in the film. Today, he runs a cannabis brand, but has noted that he'd be open to returning for future “Hocus Pocus” projects.
Hocus Pocus 2 is a lot of underdeveloped characters, teenage nonsense that is made famous in Zombies and Descendants. The emotional moments and real if character connections of the first one are sort of washed out and drowned by the overdramatized moments that do little for viewers like me.
Though original Hocus Pocus actress Thora Birch didn't reprise her beloved role as Dani in Hocus Pocus 2, the sequel stars who took the reins from the 1993 film's OG roster of teens tell EW what might've happened if a grown-up version of her character appeared in director Anne Fletcher's film as first planned.
Why were none of the original actors in Hocus Pocus 2?
'Hocus Pocus' stars open up about why they aren't in sequel: 'It just didn't work' The Sanderson sisters were brought back to life in “Hocus Pocus 2,” but the children's franchise couldn't strike the right alchemy for some of its original cast members.
Here's Why Leonardo DiCaprio Turned Down the Starring Role in Hocus Pocus. Before Omri Katz was cast as Max Dennison, Leonardo DiCaprio was offered the role, but he turned it down.
At the end of the original Hocus Pocus, Binx finally finds peace and his spirit reunites with his sister Emily in the afterlife. The end of the original movie wrapped their story up perfectly, thus making it unfair and impossible to have a Binx and Emily cameo in Hocus Pocus 2.
It became darker and raspier around the same time that the character's personality became more serious. Looper writer Alex G noted that many fans believe this to be an artistic decision, but Sean Murray had just lost 25 pounds and quit smoking, both of which can change a person's voice.
Why did they dub Sean Murray's voice in Hocus Pocus?
Sean Murray, who plays the human Thackery Binx, had his voice dubbed over because he sounded too "contemporary". According to actor Jason Marsden in an interview with Daily Beast, Sean shot the whole thing first, but his voice sounded too modern.
In addition, Murray has appeared in several feature films including Hocus Pocus (1993), his first motion picture film appearance, in which he played Thackery Binx. While this is one of his most well-known roles, his voice in the film was dubbed by Jason Marsden.
Who was the first actor considered for the role of Max in Hocus Pocus?
Ultimately, fans know that instead of Leonardo, Omri Katz went on to play Max in the 1993 classic and did a phenomenal job. As for Leonardo, he later starred in This Boy's Life and What's Eating Gilbert Grape, which hit the box office the same year as Hocus Pocus.
Sadly, Thora Birch, who gave us some iconic lines like: "You're the ugliest thing that ever lived and you know it!", didn't reprise her role as Dani Dennison. Although the actress was asked to come back, she had to decline the offer due to scheduling conflicts.
Fletcher (via EW) explained that bringing back Max and Allison would have made it hard for Hocus Pocus 2 to stay on track while exploring so many new figures and storylines, with quick cameos also being decided against.
Doug Jones also returns for the sequel as Billy Butcherson, a zombie resurrected by the witches who turns against them in the first movie. However, none of the child actors who played the protagonists Max (Omri Katz), Dani (Birch), and Allison (Vinessa Shaw), make an appearance in the sequel.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly Kathy Najimy explained she switched the side of the smile to the left as it was getting too difficult to do it on the right side. She said: "It's on the other side mainly because it's so hard for me to do it on the side I did it on 30 years ago.
'Hocus Pocus 2' proves this Hollywood flop is officially a Halloween cult classic. The original movie was terrible. However, the sequel is brilliant, and a reminder of why Disney has become the biggest success story in entertainment.
Parents need to know that Hocus Pocus 2 is the highly anticipated sequel to Disney's hugely popular 1990s fantasy comedy Hocus Pocus. Like the original, the witchy sequel is family-friendly overall but does have magical violence, name-calling, and gross-out scenes, mostly involving a decapitated zombie.
Leonardo DiCaprio had the chance to play the lead role of Max Dennison in 1993 cult classic fantasy comedy movie Hocus Pocus, but ultimately turned it down.
The film stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and Doug Jones reprising their roles, with Sam Richardson, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Tony Hale, and Hannah Waddingham joining the cast in new roles.
As part of a roundtable interview with the original Hocus Pocus cast published Wednesday, Katz, 46, told Entertainment Weekly he was high from cannabis use while filming scenes for the family film. "That was at an age where I started experimenting with cannabis," Katz, who was 16 at the time of filming, told EW.
