LOS ANGELES, Oct 25 — The American Halloween classic may be back more than 26 years after its release, according to Collider. Disney is rumoured to be developing a continuation of the comedy that starred Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy.
It's good news for fans of the classic movie, and in the run-up to Halloween, no less. First reported by Collider, then relayed by Variety and Deadline, Disney is said to be at work on the next chapter of the family comedy from 1993.
Screenwriter and Workaholics producer Jen D'Angelo is said to be at work on the script. The film's original stars — Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy — may even reprise their roles as witches in Salem.
The project is expected to air on the Disney+ streaming platform that will launch on November 12 in the United States and in 2020 internationally. This new Hocus Pocus fits into Disney's apparent strategy for its new service, which is to play on proven successes from the past.
Another example is the live-action reboot of its classic Lady and the Tramp, which will appear when Disney+ launches.
However, this is not the first time a Hocus Pocus sequel project has been undertaken. In 2017, Disney initiated development of a sequel as a television movie. Despite landing screenwriter Scarlette Lacey and the original film's producer, David Kirschner, the project was shelved. That project was said to have an entirely new cast.
Hocus Pocus, which was directed by Kenny Ortega, was an immediate success upon its release in 1993 in the United States. It has since become an annual classic for the Halloween period.
The story tells of how three of the infamous witches of Salem are brought back to life by three children who've set out trick-or-treating on Halloween night. — AFP-Relaxnews
