"There were some versions where she was popping in briefly as a cameo. We really tried so hard to make it work, and it was scheduling and the natural chaos of making a movie [that] just didn't work out. I love those characters so much."

Why wasn't Thora Birch in Hocus Pocus 2?

And for whatever reason, it just didn't work," she continued. "Some of us were going to be on, some of us weren't. And then it just was such a roller coaster ride. Birch added: "What we like to say in the business: we had scheduling conflicts."

Why wasn't any of the original cast in Hocus Pocus 2?

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.

Why didn't Max and Dani come back for 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.

Why did Omri Katz not appear in Hocus Pocus 2?

“I do know that there were, along the way, some concepts and some ideas about ways to bring us back. And for whatever reason, it just didn't work.” The actress joked that ultimately, “what we like to say in the business: we had scheduling conflicts.”

Hocus Pocus 2: Thora Birch Disappointed She Couldn’t Return for Sequel

What did Kenny Ortega think of Hocus Pocus 2?

Kenny told Entertainment Weekly: "No, they did not approach me to direct it, which was disappointing, but, of course, in the end, I was very supportive, wanting for Bette, Kathy, and Sarah to have another crack at it. "You let go of things, you surrender, you move on, you don't hold on, you don't have ownership.

Why weren't the original kids in Hocus Pocus 2?

“I do know that there were, along the way, some concepts and some ideas about ways to bring us back. And for whatever reason, it just didn't work,” Birch continued. “Some of us were going to be on, some of us weren't. And then it just was such a roller coaster ride.

Why was Hocus Pocus 2 so bad?

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.

Was Hocus Pocus 2 a flop?

'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.

Why weren't the dennisons in Hocus Pocus 2?

Max, Dani, and Allison, however, don't have any impact on Hocus Pocus 2. None of the three original characters return for cameos, with director Anne Fletcher citing their absence as due to difficulties in organically integrating them into the story.

Which actress didn't come back for Hocus Pocus 2?

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.

Was Allison in Hocus Pocus 2?

And while Allison didn't appear in the long-awaited 2022 sequel Hocus Pocus 2 alongside Midler, 77, Parker, 58, and Najimy, 66, she has voiced her desire to return as her character. "I haven't heard anything," Shaw, 47, told Entertainment Tonight in October 2021. "I know, it's so disappointing.

What happened to Sarah Sanderson?

After Winifred, Sarah, and Mary all literally exploded into dust at the end of the first Hocus Pocus, Hocus Pocus 2 shows there is little to stand in the way of the Sanderson Sisters being resurrected again.

Why did Mary's mouth change in Hocus Pocus 2?

Najimy said there's a simple explanation for the change. “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,” the actor told Entertainment Weekly.

What happened to Thora Birch?

But although one of her most memorable roles came in 1993, when she was just 11 years old, that was far from the end of her career as an actress. Birch has continued to work in the industry, lending her talents to television series, films, music videos, and even podcasts over the years.

Does Dani play in Hocus Pocus 2?

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. Fletcher told Entertainment Weekly that she found it "very difficult" to bring all the original actors back.

Did Hocus Pocus 2 get bad reviews?

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. Hocus Pocus 2 has its moments, but for fans who've waited years for a sequel to the original, this is mostly a disappointment.

Did anyone like Hocus Pocus 2?

Hocus Pocus 2 Reviews

There is a lot to enjoy about the sequel, even for stubborn fanatics of the Kenny Ortega feature film. While there are plenty of fan service nods to its 1993 predecessor, “Hocus Pocus 2” stands capably on its own, offering a spooky diversion for a whole new generation of viewers.

How did Max save Dani again in Hocus Pocus?

The witches come after Dani, Max and Allison in a graveyard. They place Dani in an open grave lined with salt. Dani is captured again, and Winifred tries to kill her because Dani called her ugly. To save Dani, Max drinks a potion and asks the witches to take him in her place.

Why is her smile backwards in Hocus Pocus 2?

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.

Why are parents upset about Hocus Pocus 2?

Gooch first warned parents about the film on social and then joined CBS' local Texas affiliate Kwtx for a now-viral interview. “A worst case scenario is: you unleash hell on your kids and in your home,” Gooch said. “The whole movie is based on witches harvesting children for blood sacrifices.”

What is inappropriate in Hocus Pocus 2?

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.

Do Max and Allison appear in Hocus Pocus 2?

While the Sanderson Sisters are at the heart of Hocus Pocus, the first movie also relied on central characters Max, Dani, and Allison. Unfortunately, the trio did not return in Hocus Pocus 2 after the sequel went in a different direction.

What happened to Max on Hocus Pocus?

During the final battle in the graveyard with the sisters, in order to free Dani from Winifred's clutches, he consumes the life potion, making himself liable to life absorption.

What happened to Max and Allison in Hocus Pocus?

In the novel Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel, which is set 25 years after the events of the first film, Max and Allison are revealed to have married and had a daughter named Poppy.