A new clip from Disney's Hocus Pocus 2 reveals more about the young Sanderson Sisters' tragic witch mentor played by Hannah Waddingham. The highly-anticipated sequel to 1993's cult classic Hocus Pocus features not only the return of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the vengeful Sanderson Sisters, but a look at their backstory. The official Hocus Pocus 2 trailer teased what's to come, showing Taylor Henderson as Young Winifred, Juju Journey Brener as Young Sarah, and Nina Kitchen as Young Mary.
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In addition to the beloved witches returning with more gravitas, Hocus Pocus 2 will also feature a slew of new faces. Helmed by Anne Fletcher (The Proposal) the film sees a fresh crop of Salem high school students in Becca (Whitney Peak), Cassie (Lilia Buckingham), and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) light the Black Flame Candle and inadvertently awaken the Sanderson sisters. It also promises storylines for popular TV stars Sam Richardson (Veep) and Hannah Waddingham (Ted Lasso). The latter seemingly plays an Elderwitch, who takes the Sanderson sisters under her wing.
Ahead of the sequel's release, popular account Hocus Pocus Guide shared a clip of Hannah Waddingham's character talking with the young Sanderson Sisters in the forbidden forest. While touching on how fortunate the trio is to have each other, she hints at her own tragic backstory. Watch the magical full clip for yourself below:
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While Waddingham has already stated her role is more of a cameo, perhaps there's a possibility for some sort of project focused on her witch down the line. The short scene appears to follow a moment viewers were treated to in the full Hocus Pocus 2 trailer, which revealed Waddingham gifting Winifred her infamous spell book. It already shows the Sanderson Sisters in a far more grounded light than their solely comedic bout in the original. Waddingham referencing the world's disdain for witches hints that the sequel might induce audiences to have more sympathy for the wicked Winnie, Sarah and Mary Sanderson.
After Disney released a comedic Hocus Pocus 2 clip showing the Sandersons flying out of Walgreens, this flashback footage provides a nice contrast. Disney was smart to show audiences that the film isn't simply going to be a sugar rush of fun, but grounded in real pain. Painting the villainous Sandersons as more complex characters with specific motivations is a smart move for 2022 audiences. While the original flick gets by on its overall charm, adding backstory to the followup is a good sign that viewers could be more invested in the ride of Hocus Pocus 2. All will be revealed when the Halloween event hits Disney+ on September 30.