Omri Katz has confirmed that he will not be reprising his iconic role as Max in the upcoming Hocus Pocus 2. The film, which was directed by The Proposal's Anne Fletcher, is a long-awaited sequel to the 1993 Halloween classic Hocus Pocus. Following a new group of teens who light the infamous Black Flame Candle, it will be streaming exclusively on Disney+ beginning September 30, 2022, and reunites the original trio of witches known as the Sanderson Sisters: Winnie (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary (Kathy Najimy). The film will also feature the return of Binx the Cat and Billy Butcher, Winnie's slapstick zombie ex-boyfriend, played by The Shape of Water star Doug Jones.
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While the film has brought back so many characters, throughout its production there has been a question as to whether or not the original human cast will return. In addition to the three established witches, Hocus Pocus centered around several youngsters living in Salem, Massachusetts, namely Katz as newcomer Max Dennison, Thora Birch as his younger sister Dani, and Vinessa Shaw as Max's crush Allison Watts. Ealy on, Katz had said that he wasn't approached to appear in the sequel, though more recently he played it coy during an interview at 90s Con, saying that "We're all in it! No, maybe we're not. Maybe we are!"
Today, as reported by EW, Katz's coyness is no more. The actor has now officially confirmed that he will not be appearing in Hocus Pocus 2 in a statement made through his representative Nery Lemus. While he "feel[s] bad for the original fan base," he remains certain that the film will treat them well nevertheless, and he hopes they will make sure to see it. Read his full quote below:
People have been asking, and unfortunately, I'm not in it. I would have loved to be involved. I feel bad for the original fan base saying we aren't because I'm sure they wanted to see us reprise our roles.
I think it'll be good for everyone who loved the original! I hope fans will go see it. I know I will.
Until the film actually comes out and fans are able to confirm once and for all, there is always a chance that Katz is obfuscating the truth. This is a tactic that has been used by Disney before, to prevent fans from finding out about the return of Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire as Peter Parkers from different universes in the 2021 smash hit Spider-Man: No Way Home. However, he seems absolutely resolute in his certainty this time around.
It is possible that in his previous quotes about Hocus Pocus 2, Katz was hoping there would be time to add Max and his pals in during reshoots. However, now that the film is less than a month away from hitting screens, it is unlikely that any more will be added. If he truly hasn't been approached, he knows it's not going to happen at this point, which could be where this new statement is coming from.