Now streaming on Disney+ is Hocus Pocus 2, the long-awaited sequel to the legendary original from 1993.
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy return as the Sanderson Sisters in the sequel, but some fans may be confused by the lack of other recognizable names.
Directed by Kenny Ortega, the original Hocus Pocus followed a Los Angeles youngster named Max (Omri Katz) and his younger sister Dani (Thora Birch) as they relocate to Salem, Massachusetts, and encounter the notorious trio of witches.
After accidentally resurrecting the Sanderson Sisters from their grave 300 years after they were executed, the siblings join forces with a local girl, Allison (Vinessa Shaw), on Halloween night to try to thwart the return of the witches.
The origins of the Sanderson Sisters are examined in Anne Fletcher’s Hocus Pocus 2, which opens with a narrative following younger versions of the three witches in 1600s New England.
Is Hocus Pocus Based on a True Story?
No, Hocus Pocus is not based on a true story. Hocus Pocus, a film that has been a Halloween staple for the past 29 years, is still a fan favorite.
Winne, Mary, and Sarah Sanderson’s comedic and outlandish antics have long been a source of entertainment for their family and friends.
Although the three sisters were portrayed as truly magical people who needed to feed on children’s souls to stay youthful, their stories were based on real women who were innocent and killed because they were thought to be witches.
The spring of 1692 marked the beginning of the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Many women in the Massachusetts colony were accused by a group of girls of being possessed by the devil through witchcraft, sending the community into a frenzy.
By the end of June, the first suspected witch, Bridget Bishop, had been executed.
