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Hocus Pocus 2 is Anne Fletcher's sequel to the 1993 film of the same name. It marks the return of the Sanderson sisters, who were resurrected unknowingly by teenagers. The film is set against the backdrop of the Salem witch trials in 1693.
IMDb’s synopsis of the film reads:
"Three young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world."
Featuring actors Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, who reprised their roles as Winifred "Winnie" Sanderson, Sarah Sanderson, and Mary Sanderson, respectively, Hocus Pocus 2 premiered on Disney+ on Friday, September 30, 2022.
Fletcher’s Hocus Pocus 2 was progressive in its own way, but ensured that the sequel did not stray from the essence of the 1993 original.
Read on to find out how Hocus Pocus 2 is different from its prequel.
Hocus Pocus 2: How is the sequel different from the 1993 original film?
A Brief overview of the film
Hocus Pocus 2 began with Salem, 1653, where a 16-year-old Winnie was banished from the village for refusing to marry a man that was chosen by the Reverend, and not her.
The sisters escaped the situation and stumbled upon Mother Witch, who gave Winnie the one-eyed spellbook which she swore by. Jump to present-day Salem, where 16-year-old Becca and her best friend Izzy went to Gilbert’s magic store. Gilbert gifted Becca the Black Flame Candle, which is used to call upon the witches/resurrect them. An unaware Becca and Izzy went to the forest and lit the candle, which led to the resurrection of Winifred, Mary, and Sarah.
Although Becca and Izzy initially successfully fooled the sisters, they soon caught up with the teenagers’ lies that children’s souls were available in the form of skin care products.
Becca and Izzy also visited Cassie’s house to caution her father, Mr. Traske, after they found out that to conjure a powerful spell, the sisters required their enemy’s blood. Cassie and her family were the descendants of the Reverend, and thus made for the perfect enemy.
Despite containing the witches, leaving them unchecked resulted in Cassie’s abduction. When Becca and Izzy went to save Cassie, Becca discovered that she had powers too, and was a witch.
Even though the friends could not stop the sisters from conjuring up the all-powerful spell, they helped Winnie after she was the only one left from the performance. Both Sarah and Mary were reduced to dust since they were the sacrifices that Winnie had to make to attain power.
The film ended with Becca, Izzy, and Cassie helping Winnie and sending her back to her sisters. The three best friends left as well, as the Mother Witch trailed behind them.
Differences between Hocus Pocus 1 and Hocus Pocus 2
The writer and director of the film ensured that the essence of the first film stayed intact. So, stereotypes around witches like the sisters’ shriek and high-pitched laughter were retained from the prequel, while their costumes added the hoods complimentary to the colors of their respective attires.
As part of the sequel, Hocus Pocus 2 was expected to flesh out the character arcs of the witches. Unfortunately, the makers chose to maintain the characters’ familiarity as comic elements, and not independent individuals. Sporadic changes are pocked across the sequel, but none of them are taken up in earnest.
For instance, Winnie’s leadership has been intact since the first film. Even after Sarah and Mary were bestowed with their own powers, the makers decided to end their story instead of taking it forward and find out what it would look like. Even though an empowered Sarah professed the need to be recognized as an equal, and be given the same respect as her elder sisters, there is no development after this.
Sarah and Mary were reduced to side-kicks for Winnie, who was also the one to receive the book of spells from Mother Witch. Nonetheless, the sequel did not bother to throw light on Winnie’s past after being banished from Salem.
One major difference, however, came in the form of a back story for the sisters. Although it was never disclosed who their parents were, and why the trio turned out to be intrigued by spiders and blood, Hocus Pocus 2 did brush past the sisters’ induction into witchcraft.
Winnie and her sisters were banished from the village after the eldest refused to marry a man that was chosen by the Reverend. Winnie was also attacked for kissing Billy Butcherson, while the latter saw no fingers pointed at him. The sisters escaped and ended up in the forbidden forest, where they met the Mother Witch.
Even Billy Butcherson’s reference underwent a transition. The first film saw Billy as Winnie’s unfaithful lover whom she had caught with her sister Sarah and cursed him. Billy appeared whenever he was called upon, but it was clear that he was not on Winnie’s team.
Hocus Pocus 2 answered the why, after Billy the zombie clarified to Gilbert that he and Winnie had shared just one kiss. A flashback to Salem of 17th century confirmed the information.
Hocus Pocus 2 is currently streaming on Disney+.
