many OGs Hocus Pocus Fans already know that some OG stars won’t be returning for the sequel outside of The Sanderson Sisters, including Thackery Binx voice actor Jason Marsden. It makes sense considering the trio of witches will terrorize a new group of Salem teenagers. But there was still a part of the fandom that hoped some of the original co-stars would somehow make appearances. Now we know it doesn’t happen. It saddens me that some OG stars won’t be returning for the sequel, but now there’s an obvious reason that makes sense.
While Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker have already completed the captivating sequel, uh revealed that OG Hocus Pocus Stars Omri Katz and Vinessa Shaw won’t be returning because the production failed to find a way to include Max Dennison and Allison Watts in the plot. Director Anne Fletcher admitted that bringing beloved characters back to life may have been a distraction to the new story, even in cameos. Fletcher tapped into her inner fan as she explained how hard she and the writers worked hard to bring OG stars Hocus Pocus 2.
We wanted to involve all the people that the fans loved, and when you sat down with all the ingredients and the story, you thought, how do we make it work? It was very difficult to try to get them involved in this, because we talked about it thoroughly. You try to follow the story, even if it came as a cameo. People said, “They could be over there!” and I’m like, really? Are you going to overshadow the protagonists of the first film and be satisfied? You will not be satisfied, you will be angry.
For one, I’m incredibly grateful that Fletcher and the writers decided not to sour the original film by including Max and Allison just out of nostalgia. Having them in the background would have been offensive. Of course, reboots or sequels in the past have done this regardless of fans’ thoughts. So I’m thankful for that. It would always have been nice to see the main characters as adults now.
Katz and Shaw weren’t the only OGs Hocus Pocus stars that won’t be in the sequel. Disney tried to get another original star, Thora Birch, to reprise the role of Dani, Max’s sister, but scheduling conflicts prevented her from performing. Not even Larry Bagby and Tobias Jelinek, the henchmen of Max Ice and Jay, respectively, are in the fold. But things aren’t all that bad, as Doug Jones will appear as Winfried’s zombified ex-lover Billy Butcherson in Hocus Pocus 2. Of course, the OG cast was engaged by the 1993 cult classic.
Outside hp former student who does not appear in the sequel, I would have loved to have seen Dani Dennison come back somehow. Given her experience with the Sanderson sisters in the first film, he could have been a valuable resource for new sources on the magical trio. It would have been great to see Dani and the new kids fight together to send the witch sisters back to the afterlife. Fans could have seen how different or similar adult Dani would be three decades after the original. Hocus Pocus. Seeing an adult, Dani may have filled in some blanks about her brother, Allison, and other Salem residents. Unfortunately, we didn’t have a chance to catch up with her or any OG stars.
While Midler, Najimy, Parker, and Jones are the only original returning members, new cast additions include ted lassoby Sam Richardson and Hannah Waddingham e veep student Tony Hale. Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham and Whitney Peak will play the teenage girls persecuted by the Sandersons in Hocus Pocus 2. The long-awaited sequel arrives on Disney + on September 30th. While you wait for the movie, watch the best movies on the streamer.
Source: Cinemablend
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