Why Disney Needs To Make A Hocus Pocus Prequel
Hocus Pocus 2 is bringing back the Sanderson sisters, but Disney should also consider exploring the witches' origin story in 17th century Salem.
The classic Halloween film Hocus Pocus is getting a sequel after 27 years, but what Disney should consider next is a prequel film or television series. Hocus Pocus premiered in 1993, directed by Kenny Ortega and starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. Though the film received mixed reviews at the time of release, over the years, partly due to Halloween reruns on the Disney Channel, both the film and the characters of the Sanderson sisters have achieved massive cultural popularity.
Hocus Pocus follows a trio of witches - the three Sanderson sisters: Winifred, Sarah, and Mary - who are hanged in Salem, Massachusetts in the 17th century. Before dying, Winifred casts a spell that will preserve their spirits until they can be resurrected on a Halloween night, when a virgin lights the Black Flame Candle in their home. Three hundred years later, Max Dennison accidently summons them when he arrogantly lights the candle as a joke. After being dead for centuries, the witches are revived and eager to continue feeding on the souls of little children, albeit in the modern day. Max, his little sister Dani, his crush Allison, and an enchanted black cat work together to save the children of modern-day Salem from the Sanderson sisters. A Hocus Pocus prequel would be a great way to continue exploring the story- by going back to the beginning. The original film mostly takes place on Halloween 1993, but the opening scene is set in 1693, just after the historical Salem Witch Trials. The Sanderson sisters lure Emily to their cottage in the woods, so they can steal her life force to keep themselves young. Emily’s elder brother Thackeray tries to stop them, but he is cursed to live as the black cat named Binx for eternity, and the sisters are then killed by a mob for their witchcraft and murdering the children. If Disney were to pursue a prequel title, they would be able to revisit the early time period of these witches, as well as explore what led them to practicing witchcraft and sacrificing children in the first place. A Sanderson sisters prequel could also follow more recent villain origin stories such as Maleficent and Cruella. Certainly, Disney remakes have received criticism for being uninspired attempts at profiting off beloved films, instead of coming up with new material. However, prequel films about iconic villains like Maleficent and Cruella avoid the inherent problem of life-action remakes. Instead of retelling the same story, they invent a backstory that centers on a morally complex character, adding a new spin to the original. Just like Cruella de Vil, the Sanderson sisters are devious in a campy, over-the-top way. An origin story could feature a fresh and darkly funny storyline and give new actors the chance to take on the roles of Winifred, Sarah, and Mary, without compromising the love audiences have for the 1993 film. While the real-life women wrongfully accused of being "witches" in 17th century Salem were innocent and had their names eventually cleared by history, the trials still possess an intrigue to modern-day audiences. As the fictional Sanderson sisters were alive in 1693, it would be interesting to see how they flew under the radar before their capture at the start of 1993's Hocus Pocus, as well as if there were any other witches -- or perhaps a full-blown witch coven -- that operated in Salem at the time. Of course, it’s possible that the Sanderson sisters were alive long before the 17th century, too, as they were able to use the souls of children to bring back their youth and stay alive. Hocus Pocus 2 is expected to release in 2022, but Disney doesn’t necessarily have to stop there. A prequel film or a Disney Plus miniseries, in the same vein as WandaVision, could show all the devious tricks the witches had been up to before they were hanged. There’s no word yet if Disney has any plans beyond the Hocus Pocus sequel, but if they do decide to stick with the franchise, a Sanderson sisters origin story could answer some questions from the original, such as how Sarah got the ability to enchant children with song, and whether or not Winifred’s spellbook was really given to her by the devil himself.
