The ’90s Cult Classic That’s a “Must-Watch on Halloween” Is Making a Comeback on Streaming
As the spooky season sets in, many movie fans are settling into their Halloween marathons. True horror aficionados are seeking out the most terrifying films out there, those who despise horror are tuning in to light romcoms, and streaming services are currently packed with all sorts of Halloween-themed movies. While every streaming service is offering up a decent choice of Halloween movies to watch this October, Disney+ arguably has one of the best and most iconic Halloween films of the ’90s in its streaming library. It’s not a horror movie, nor is it so lighthearted that it detracts from the spooky ambiance of the season. We’re talking about the cult-classic ’90s Halloween movie, Hocus Pocus.
Hocus Pocus has always been a popular movie around Halloween time. But Disney+ subscribers are getting their fix early this October. We’re still over a week away from Halloween, but Hocus Pocus has already shot straight to the top of the Disney+ charts. That’s right, Hocus Pocus is currently the most popular movie on Disney+, beating out all the animated classics, and the multi-billion dollar MCU.
Released in 1993, Hocus Pocus was directed by Kenny Ortega and starred Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as three Salem witches who were burned alive back in the 17th century. After a teenage boy and his little sister move to Salem and uncover the witches, they must thwart the trio’s diabolical plan to unlock the secret to eternal beauty. With Halloween right around the corner, fans have taken to social media and sharing their reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. “Hocus Pocus is undeniably a must-watch on Halloween,” wrote one user on X (formerly Twitter), while another called the film a “spooky season masterpiece” on Rotten Tomatoes.
The ‘Hocus Pocus’ Trilogy Will Soon Be Complete
Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
All spooky things tend to come in threes. The fates of Greek mythology. The witches from Macbeth. The witches from Throne of Blood. The crones/witches from The Witcher 3 (witches do love traveling in threes). Now, in the spirit of the three witches from Hocus Pocus, the film is about to become a trilogy.
Hocus Pocus‘ cult status was enough to garner a sequel, which was released in 2022. The original movie might not have been a massive hit with critics (holding a 41% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), but it gained a very strong fan base over the past three decades. That fan base turned out in droves to watch Hocus Pocus 2 when it was released on Disney+ in 2022. The sequel even managed to score better reviews with the critics, holding a decent 65% Rotten Tomatoes score. The trio, played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy, all returned for the sequel, with Hannah Waddingham playing the Mother Witch.
That powerful trio will return one more time for Hocus Pocus 3, which was recently confirmed to be in development. In a recent interview, Bette Midler confirmed that work is currently underway on Hocus Pocus 3. The actress said:
“Well, you know, they sent a script, and a lot of it was brilliant. So I got very excited, and now we’re trying to figure out what it is and where it’s going to be and how much it’s going to cost and all those logistical things.”
Release Date
July 16, 1993
Runtime
96 minutes
Writers
Neil Cuthbert, David Kirschner, Mick Garris
Producers
David Kirschner, Mick Garris, Ralph Winter, Bonnie Bruckheimer, Steven Haft
