Hocus Pocus creator David Kirschner reveals that he has an idea for a television spin-off series set in Salem inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The 1993 Disney cult classic starred Bette Middler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker as a trio of witches resurrected in 1993 Salem. Kirschner returns as an executive producer for Hocus Pocus 2, which is set to release on Disney+ on September 30th, 2022.
Set in Salem, Massachusetts, on Halloween night, 1993, Hocus Pocus sees three unwitting children light a cursed candle, resurrecting the infamous Sanderson Sisters. Executed in 1693 for practicing witchcraft, Winifred (Middler), Mary (Najimy), and Sarah (Parker) chase the children through Salem in an attempt to fully restore themselves, stumbling through the then-modern world while casting several spells on the unsuspecting townspeople. And while audiences have been given a glimpse of the Sanderson Sister's return in the recently released Hocus Pocus 2 D23 trailer, the original film's creator has ideas on how a TV show can further explore the film's world.
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During a guest appearance on actor Robert Peterpaul's The Art of Kindness podcast, Kirschner revealed an idea for a spin-off television series of Hocus Pocus that could build on ideas from the original film. The producer and writer explained that his idea would explore the supernatural forces below Salem in style similar to Buffy the Vampire Slayer's episodic structure. Kirschner concluded by emphasizing Salem's long history and mythology surrounding witchcraft and the supernatural would be a perfect inspiration. Check out Kirschner's spin-off series pitch below.
"Underneath all of those headstones as you see when the kids run in the ceremony and they go underground [in the first film]… I wanted to really explore a world that lives beneath Salem of things that go bump in the night in a Buffy the Vampire kind of way. It's Salem for God's sakes! That's magical land – that's holy land. I absolutely would love to see that."
Hocus Pocus 2 has already promised to explore Salem's history, with Ted Lasso's Hannah Waddingham portraying the Sanderson Sister's mentor in flashback sequences that would explore the witches' origins. During the film's D23 trailer, Waddingham encounters the Sanderson Sisters during their childhood and gifts the young Winifred with her spellbook. At the same time, other clips see her emphasize the importance of having a coven against a world that despises witches. While Waddingham may not have a prominent role in the sequel, her scenes as the Sanderson Sister's mentor hint at wider mythology, with her as an original owner of the spellbook revealing the powerful item has potentially been passed through generations of witches. Hocus Pocus 2 director Anne Fletcher has even addressed potential further Hocus Pocus sequels ahead of the 2022 sequel's release, where she stated that her sequel ends in a manner where further installments could be made, showing that expanding on the world of Hocus Pocus is in the mind of other creatives behind the franchise.
Despite debuting in 1993 to mixed critical responses and underperforming at the box office, Hocus Pocus has endured for almost three decades to earn a place in audiences' hearts through its home release and repeated airings on television. With the film gathering enough of a following that a sequel was greenlit, it is clear that the studio recognizes the potential in revisiting the film's world despite how much time has passed. With Kirschner having a clear idea of how he would expand the series beyond its films and Disney hoping to create new productions for Disney+, a series exploring and expanding on Hocus Pocus' magical world may be something that dedicated fans hope to see come to life.