Sophia Michaels
When the official news came out that Hocus Pocus would get a sequel after 29 years, our nostalgic hearts exploded. The opportunity to see Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker back as the Sanderson Sisters on Disney+ was exactly what we needed last year for a fun Halloween viewing. With announcements Hocus Pocus 3 would be happening, OG cast member Omri Katz shares his response with hopes he can even return to the franchise.
Go back to Salem in 1993 when the Sanderson Witches were first resurrected. The virgin responsible for lighting the Black Flame Candle was Max Dennison played by Omri Katz. After studio production head Sean Bailey announced a third Hocus Pocus was planned, it was reported by EW that Katz wrote in an email what he thought about the upcoming Disney movie.
I’m excited for the new film! Glad to see this franchise gain its popularity 30 years later.
It’s amazing to think that a movie that was an initial box office bomb mixed-review film could achieve the cult status it has today. When Freeform had its 25th anniversary special, it drew in 8.2 million viewers watching at home. Hocus Pocus star Bette Midler discovered a second movie could happen when she saw multiple television screenings and a ton of merchandise sold online from it. Even the city of Salem celebrates Hocus Pocus with fans visiting the local filming sites. The cult classic also had a re-release on October 6th of this year in select theaters to commemorate its 30th anniversary. It proves that a film’s popularity really can increase with time.
While the three original female leads who played the iconic witches returned for the second movie, sadly other OG Hocus Pocus stars did not. This is because director Anne Fletcher wanted there to be a focus on the new characters compared to having the original leads be reduced to background roles. Even though the plot and casting for a third movie haven’t been finalized, Katz gave his input on his own involvement in the movie which will make you really excited.
Yes, I would return if Disney approached me. It would be an honor to return, hopefully with some of my fellow castmates, and make a fun addition to the franchise!
That’s some exiting news, and I really hope it happens. While the franchise wouldn’t be the same without the villainous witches headlining the movie, it’d be nice to see the heroes who saved the children of Salem. Regarding possibly doing a Hocus Pocus threequel, Katz’s only request was that Hocus Pocus 3 doesn’t take another 29 years to happen. I honestly doubt that will be the case as I’m sure the second movie is still fresh in the minds of the Disney+ subscribers who saw it. The audience reaction towards the long-awaited sequel thought it was a fun, hilarious movie they really enjoyed watching. Hopefully, they can do the original story that includes Thora Birch’s Dani where she’s a schoolteacher in Salem using her previous knowledge to fight off evil. Maybe Max (and hopefully Allison)’s kids will light the Black Flame Candle next.
Let’s hope Disney is aware of Omri Katz’s wish to return for the third movie so they can make that happen. What the Hocus Pocus cast member has been up to recently may be running a cannabis culture business, but it’s good to know Katz would like to return to his Disney movie roots. Until we hear anything about Hocus Pocus 3 cast and plot updates, you can watch the previous two movies on your Disney+ subscription.
