“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.”

Why aren't the original characters 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.

Why is Max not in Hocus Pocus 2?

Hocus Pocus 2 cut a Max cameo, along with cameos from Jay and Ice, to trim down the script and focus on characters with a reason to be in the story.

Why weren't Max and Allison in Hocus Pocus 2?

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.

Why did people not like Hocus Pocus 2?

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.

Behind The Magic Of Hocus Pocus 2

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 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.

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.

Who was originally supposed to play Max in Hocus Pocus?

Hocus Pocus director Kenny Ortega tells EW that his casting agents sent the future Titanic and Killers of the Flower Moon superstar actor in to read for the role of Max — which eventually went to Omri Katz — in the 1993 Disney classic, but that his team told him DiCaprio wouldn't be able to take the part.

Who turned down Max Dennison in Hocus Pocus?

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.

Is Dani the witch in Hocus Pocus 2?

Dani Dressed As Mother Witch

Thora Birch may not have returned for the sequel, but a piece of the beloved Dani Dennison lived on in Hocus Pocus 2. On Halloween night in 1993, Dani dressed as a witch, a red and black costume with some fiery fur and covered in golden moons.

Who made a cameo in Hocus Pocus 2?

Additionally, three stand-in extras portrayed Max Dennison, Dani Dennison and Allison Watts, the three protagonists of the first film, originally portrayed by Omri Katz, Thora Birch and Vinessa Shaw, in a flashback sequence narrated by Gilbert to The Sanderson Sisters.

What happened to Max after 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.

Are Max and Dani in Hocus Pocus 2?

But original stars Max Dennison, Dani Dennison, and Allison aren't featured in the sequel. In case you forget, Max is the virgin who lit the Black Flame Candle three decades ago, resurrecting the Sanderson witches.

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.

Who is Dani in Hocus Pocus now?

Thora Birch as Dani

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 are there two actors for Thackery Binx?

Two actors helped bring Thackery Binx's character to life.

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.

Where is Omri Katz now?

Katz resided in Israel for a year during his childhood, and has also worked as a hairdresser. In 2015, it was reported that Katz maintains acquaintance with his former fellow actors from Hocus Pocus. As of February 2022, Katz operated a cannabis company.

Are Allison and Max in Hocus Pocus 2?

Max, Allison, and Dani play an important role in Hocus Pocus 2, even if the actors who played them in the 1993 original aren't in the movie. Entertainment Weekly's Oscars expert, 'RuPaul's Drag Race' beat reporter, host of 'Quick Drag' Twitter Spaces, and cohost of 'EW's BINGE' podcast.

Why is Thackery Binx not in Hocus Pocus 2?

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. In Murray's case, Thackery Binx also died at the end of the first movie.

Why did Kenny Ortega leave Disney?

In 2019, Netflix plucked Ortega away from the Disney Channel to sign a multiple-year overall deal with the streaming giant, and with Auntie Claus and the tween musical Julie and the Phantoms among his first projects.

What is the point of Hocus Pocus 2?

In “Hocus Pocus 2,” the three teens called upon to save Salem from the Sanderson sisters' return are themselves budding witches, which means the movie isn't about scaring kids away from magic so much as indulging their post-Potter junior wizarding fantasies.

Why is the ending of Hocus Pocus 2 so sad?

The somber moment is the film's greatest lesson. Winifred asks Becca and her "coven" to do a spell to reunite her with Mary and Sarah. Becca, Izzy and Cassie succeed but sadly, it just means Winifred dies to join her sisters. Winifred lets out one last, "Sisters!" before vanquishing.

What did Bette Midler say about Hocus Pocus 2?

"As soon as we walked on the set, the dynamic between the three of us was exactly the same as it was 30 years ago," Midler says in ET's exclusive look at a featurette for the upcoming film. "It was like these characters lived with us for the last 30 years... It was a real thrill."

Why did Leonardo DiCaprio turned down Hocus Pocus?

DiCaprio has said he was offered a large sum to be in Hocus Pocus. Nevertheless, he went with his gut and decided to decline the offer, as he was determined to get Arnie Grape's part (in What's Eating Gilbert Grape).