‘Hocus Pocus 2’ gets a fittingly spooky release date

Hocus Pocus 2 has had its release date confirmed on Disney Plus, just shy of 20 years since the original hit theaters.

Producer Adam Shankman shared a post on his Instagram, confirming the film had wrapped filming, and also confirmed its release date. The film will be out on the Disney Plus streaming service on Halloween (Oct. 31) 2022.

Four of the main cast will return for the belated sequel, including Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and horror icon Doug Jones. The film has been in development since 2014, with various rumors about a sequel popping up in recent years. It was finally announced by Disney in Oct. 2019, with a director signing on the next march.

Hocus Pocus 2 will be set 29 years after the original film, and will follow several high school students who lit the Black Flame Candle, and must then stop the three witches from their sinister plot.

Hocus Pocus was not a box office hit in 1993 when it was first released, but soon picked up a cult following on VHS and DVD sales, and enjoys a surge on streaming services every October as audiences gear up for Halloween.

Anne Fletcher will helm the film, having previously directed films such as 27 Dresses, The Proposal, and Step Up. Jen D’Angelo penned the script, with experience on Young Rock and Comedy Central original Workaholics.