A sequel, it appeared, was a far-off fantasy for Disney.
It sort of did okay but went away.
When it came on television, it became a runaway train.
Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, and Sarah Jessica Parker give their first interviews for ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ — and reignite the magic between them like the Black Flame Candle.Matt Kennedy/Disney +
Parents showed it to their kids and those parents showed it to theirs.
It was a surprise to us all.
It wasn’t until about three years ago that they advocated for it, and movement started.
Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, and Sarah Jessica Parker return in ‘Hocus Pocus 2’.Matt Kennedy/Disney+
It picked up when they decided that they wanted it to be on a streamer.
They never looked back until they got their movie.
SARAH JESSICA PARKER(SARAH SANDERSON):I didn’t push for it.
Doug Jones returns as Billy Butcherson in ‘Hocus Pocus 2’.Matt Kennedy/Disney+
I think Bette was the only [one] who had conversations.
The minute I heard it was real, I said yes right away.
It was incredibly easy.
‘Hocus Pocus 2’ resurrects the Sanderson Sisters for a potential performance on stage.Disney +
The script was the hardest part.
MIDLER: Anne was so great.
The first one had something delicious about it, but you also want to make something new.
Where have they been for the last 30 years?
But, in the end, it fell by the wayside.
In 2022, Salem isn’t populated by mere unwitting mortals fleeing the witches' reign of terror.
Sure, 21st century Salem is a seasonal hot spot.
But the teens in the middle of it all aren’t helpless victims at the mercy of black magic.
MIDLER: There are three young girls who are relatively new to the world.
They’re not witches, but they have the potential to become witches, to follow in our footsteps.
Pitting the young against the veterans, it’s a conflict that audiences like to see.
Who’s going to win?
Or, isanybodygoing to win?
There’s no killing them… Gilbert believes in the Sanderson Sisters.
Our girls never believed anything he sold because he’s a little bit of a cheeseball.
Halloween is his money-making time.
It’s lore to the world.
That extends to Salem [in the film], so Salem has completely changed, too.
It’s become aware of the Sanderson Sisters.
They play on that, so these three girls have been exposed to this their whole lives.
FLETCHER: The opening sequence of the movie, we get some history of our witches and Billy.
I always missed that in the first one.
Like, what are the witches the way they are?
I did have that question, and the script came, and I loved the opening 1600s.
There’s no difference.
I just want to poke at the irony of it.
MIDLER: [We] explain how they got to the point where they gladly become witches.
They’re so tight as sisters, and that’s explained.
It’s quite satisfying.
in place of their trusty broomsticks.
What do we do?
How do we work together?
That came back strangely quick.
She’s very, “Thou, thy, and thine,” and that had to be correct.
[Perfecting it] was a fun process.
I drank some formaldehyde.
The prosthetics are the exact same makeup artist, Tony Gardner….
It was the exact same wig.
The costume was rebuilt to be the same as the first one, so I looked exactly the same.
NAJIMY: You’ll see that Mary’s mouth is now on the other side.
It’s just something I came up with the first week.
PARKER: [Sarah stayed] consistent.
She doesn’t just play contrition or apologize shedoes, until she doesn’t.
NAJIMY: It’s so funny that we’re talking about it like it’s deep FBI information.
It’s the most fun.
I don’t think we got to do enough of it!
I didn’t feel that Sarah had more to do or that she was equal with Winnie.
I would’ve [questioned] that!
you’re able to’t do Hocus Pocus without music.
MIDLER: We suggested that there be songs.
That was our big contribution.
We said, “Theyhaveto sing.”
We made suggestions as far as songs were concerned, and we went to the barricades on that.
It was a collaborative effort where we were happy to defend our choices and also compromise.
PARKER: There are two covers, we have two numbers.
We would’ve done three if they’d let us.
They’re songs that are familiar to a variety of age groups…. Anne had thoughts and feelings about the songs, then they became hers because she’s the director.
I went to Marc’s studio after work and recorded of my stuff, and that was great.
He makes you feel super comfortable, he’s much more interested in youactingsomething than singing it perfectly.
Character is everything to him.
We worked hard on them.
We’re 30 years older, and I know the tracks sound great.
It’s always fun doing a musical number with those girls….
It made me laugh hysterically.
It’s all shared now.
It’s a three-way composition as far as the sisters are concerned.
It feels very sisterly.
It’s much more loving than it used to be.
After 30 years in purgatory or limbo, they’re happy to be free again.
NAJIMY: It’s the same concept.
PARKER: The scary thing was learning it in time to get ready for shooting.
We got it, we did it, and that was our first week.
We shot in Newport.
It was freezing unseasonablycold but it was fun!
I lost my s— [when Bob won].
We had background artists, 300 who were in the audience.
We had a real audience, it was late at night, that’s my magic time.
Anne let us come up with some of our own stuff.
So, I turned around and said something like, “Hello, beautiful!”
She was so cute.
NAJIMY: I feel like we’re done.
We’ve pulled every story you could pull out of this.
I guess, never say never, but I feel grateful that we got to do it again.
I’m just happy we can bring this to them.
PARKER: Kathy had a good idea that the third one should be animated.
That would be cool and a smart idea.
MIDLER: I don’t know.
I’d love to have a franchise especially a character I love playing.
It’s good for women.
Hocus Pocus 2premieres Sept. 30 on Disney+.
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