Hocus Pocus 2 director Anne Fletcher chats to us about making the legacy sequel, doing the original justice and introducing new characters.
When chatting, Hocus Pocus 2, director Anne Fletcher readily admits that making a legacy sequel 29 years after the 1993 film is a daunting task. Especially considering it’s become something of a cult classic, beloved by the fans – whose opinion Fletcher holds in high regard. “I have to sit in the fans’ seat, right?” She says of the angle she approached Hocus Pocus 2 from. “Because they love this movie. This is why Disney said ‘yes, let’s do the sequel.”
“You have to look at the first movie, in making the second movie, through the eyes of the fans, and you have to love it as much as they do, because you want them to love it, and you want them to be so happy they finally got what they wanted all these years.”
The film fell into Fletcher’s lap quite by chance, when Adam Shankman (who remains on the project as executive producer) was forced to choose between directing two sequels – this and Disenchanted – the follow-up to 2007’s Enchanted, which is also premiering on Disney+ later this year. Being close friends, Fletcher had already heard much about the work he was doing on Hocus Pocus 2. “So he, and our producer Lynn Harris and my agent all rallied behind me and said ‘we should offer this to Anne,’” she explains. “It felt like I was kind of preparing for the movie anyway!”
She tells of not only wanting to get the sequel right for the fans, but also for the leading trio who play the Sandersons.
Midler, Najimy and Parker are easily as enthusiastic about their characters as the people in the audience who love to watch them – Midler especially. “It was incredibly important to Bette,” Fletcher says. “Which made it again that much more important to me because I wanted her to be happy. She cares deeply about this movie, as do the other witches, but her and I just had many conversations about it. She loves Winnie. She’ll tell you herself it’s her favourite character she created!” She adds.
Making a legacy sequel
Hocus Pocus 2 focuses on teenage protagonists Becca (Whitney Peak), Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham). Halloween 2022 is Becca’s 16th birthday, which just so happens to be the day witches are rumoured to gain their powers. During their celebrations they accidentally bring the Sanderson sisters back from the dead. Naturally, Winifred (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy) and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) wreak havoc on Salem once more. Fletcher clearly understands how important the 1993 movie is to the fans. As such, the sequel comes across as a homage to the original – drawing inspiration from its narrative beats and memorable scenes. It feels as though the crew behind the film were also Hocus Pocus enthusiasts, so I ask Fletcher if she’s a fan. “How can you not be?” she enthusiastically exclaims. The director cites the improvisation skills of Midler, Najimy and Parker as the source of Hocus Pocus’ magic (pun intended). “To have that ability to improvise three very distinct characters, as sisters, and to be able to improvise the way they do is so magical,” she explains. “To watch that and appreciate that is magnificent, and then I get to be a part of a small piece of it in the sequel, so that I loved.”
She tells of not only wanting to get the sequel right for the fans, but also for the leading trio who play the Sandersons.
Midler, Najimy and Parker are easily as enthusiastic about their characters as the people in the audience who love to watch them – Midler especially. “It was incredibly important to Bette,” Fletcher says. “Which made it again that much more important to me because I wanted her to be happy. She cares deeply about this movie, as do the other witches, but her and I just had many conversations about it. She loves Winnie. She’ll tell you herself it’s her favourite character she created!” She adds.
