Although Birch wasn't included in the sequel, she says “there were three options we had for how to bring Dani back, all of which I was excited by.” However, “by the time they got around to filming, I was already on something else,” she continues, explaining that she was working on another project.

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.

Is the witch in Hocus Pocus 2 supposed to be Dani?

Hocus Pocus 2 originally had Thora Birch's Dani battling Sanderson Sisters with 'arsenal of anti-magic' "I was so invested in trying to get Dani back into the story. We had a bunch of different versions of that," sequel writer Jen D'Angelo tells EW.

What happened to the girl that played Dani in Hocus Pocus?

Thora Birch as Dani

She's the one the Sanderson sisters wanted at the end, and there was no way Max was going to let history repeat itself. Birch continues to work regularly, with two movies recently wrapped up and a bevy of other on her résumé. Her most notable role after Hocus Pocus came in 1999's American Beauty.

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 was Thora Birch not in Hocus Pocus 2?

Are Max and Dani 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.

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.

Will there be a hocus pocus 3?

Disney boss Sean Bailey confirmed that Hocus Pocus 3 was in the works in June 2023, following the long-awaited sequel being a hit on the streaming service. Hocus Pocus 2's director, Anne Fletcher, is returning for the new movie, according to TheWrap.

Does Dani come back 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.

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.

What is the Easter egg in Hocus Pocus 2?

The Sun. While the sun doesn't actually make an appearance in Hocus Pocus 2, the sisters once again believe they're being melted by daylight. It turns out they're only blinded by car headlights — a reference to when Max, Dani and Allison tricked the sisters by simulating sunrise the same way in 1993.

How old was Dani in Hocus Pocus in real life?

At age 11, Birch appeared in the Halloween-set fantasy film Hocus Pocus (1993), playing Dani Dennison, the younger sister of a teenage boy who inadvertently resurrects a trio of witches.

How old is Dani in Hocus Pocus now?

At 40 years old, Thora Birch is now only a few years younger than Midler was when she first played Hocus Pocus' villain Winifred. Here's a look at what Dani from Hocus Pocus looks like now.

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 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.

What happened to Max Dennison?

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.

Are Max and Allison in Hocus Pocus two?

Original Hocus Pocus stars Omri Katz and Vinessa Shaw weren't in Hocus Pocus 2, but screenwriter Jen D'Angelo is confident their characters are living happy lives free from the grasp of the Sanderson Sisters.

What happens to Max Dennison?

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.

Is there a fourth Sanderson sister Hocus Pocus?

It turns out Isabella is the descendant of Elizabeth, the daughter of a fourth, secret Sanderson sister, and she discovers later in the book that she also has magical abilities, similar to Becca in "Hocus Pocus 2."

What will Hocus Pocus 3 be about?

The Hocus Pocus 3 plot has yet to be revealed, but the story can be easily guessed based on the last film. When Winifred chooses to return to her sisters at the end of Hocus Pocus 2, the special spellbook, referred to as "Book," finds new ownership in Becca, setting up the Hocus Pocus 3 story.

What is the black cat's name on Hocus Pocus?

Physical Appearance. Thackery Binx is a short haired black cat with yellow (golden) eyes and black paws.

Who turned down a role in Hocus Pocus?

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.

Who turned down Hocus Pocus?

Rosie O'Donnell revealed in a new interview that she once turned down a role in Disney's Halloween classic Hocus Pocus, and admitted she doesn't regret skipping an opportunity to appear in one of the studio's most beloved titles.

Is Emily Binx in Hocus Pocus 2?

Didn't Return: Thackery Binx (Sean Murray)

Murray did not return to Hocus Pocus 2, nor was there any mention of Thackery or his little sister Emily, aside from some 1993 flashback footage of the Sanderson Sisters attacking Emily, featuring Emily's portrayer Amanda Shepherd.