David Kirschner, the creator of Hocus Pocus, revealed that Bette Midler may not have been a massive fan of the film upon its release. With Hocus Pocus 2 just around the corner, coming to Disney+ on September 30, the original movie has become a cult favorite, despite its disappointing results at the box office upon initial release. As well as the original Sanderson sisters (Kathy Najimy, Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler) all returning for the upcoming sequel, the new film will see Doug Jones returning as Billy Butcherson, corpse and ex-boyfriend of Winifred.
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The original Hocus Pocus, described as a children's fantasy comedy horror film, was released in 1993 by Walt Disney Pictures in the middle of summer. The decision to release it in July rather than October may have contributed to its lack of box office success. Still, since then, it has gathered an enormous following, with the film shown annually on various channels as part of the run-up to Halloween. The first film followed the downfall of the Sanderson sisters, three child-murdering witches in Salem in the 1600s, before jumping three centuries to see them resurrected and causing chaos in a (then) modern-day. The sequel, also set in the present day of 2022, is being distributed a little closer to spooky season, under the supervision of producer David Kirschner once again.
In an interview with The Wrap, Kirschner recalled Midler's reaction to Hocus Pocus when it first hit theaters. Although the actress has been incredibly vocal over the years about her love of playing Winifred Sanderson and the film itself, Kirschner remembers her initial reaction a little differently. In the immediate aftermath of its release, Kirschner mused that Midler might have let the poor critical reviews get the best of her:
“When it first came out, she really wasn’t particularly supportive of it,” Kirschner said. “It got bad reviews, and I think she may have been a little embarrassed. And maybe she was – this is just me saying this – maybe she felt embarrassed that she had been over the top in the film. But I think what she didn’t realize was how brilliant she was.”
Looking back on the story of the Sanderson sisters, Bette Midler seems a little more enthusiastic than this first reaction nowadays. With Hocus Pocus 2 about to hit the screen on Disney+, Midler has even commented that she would love to sign on for a third film if given a chance. Although she could not be reached for comment on Kirschner's version of events regarding the original film's release, there seems to be a conflict of facts based on what the actress has said in previous interviews.
It's unclear whether Midler was openly unenthusiastic about Hocus Pocus in the 90s or if her apprehension to outright praise it was taken as negativity. Before the days of the modern internet, where reviews and accessibility to audience feedback were harder to reach, movies and their talent would rely on the words of film critics to establish whether the project was a success. Nowadays, even if the journalists pan a release, there is far more capacity for the public to be heard, sometimes drowning out the negativity of media professionals. Diving back into the exciting world of Salem for the highly anticipated sequel will hopefully dissuade the witches from feeling perturbed by any poor reviews this may receive. If events mirror the past, regardless of the responses to the initial release, Hocus Pocus 2 will gather a cult following that will make watching it a Halloween tradition for years to come.