The sequel will premiere on Disney+ Sept. 30.
Hocus Pocus fans won’t see two of the film’s most iconic faces in the upcoming Disney+ sequel. The film’s director, Anne Fletcher, revealed that Omri Katz and Vinessa Shaw, who played Max Dennison and Allison, won’t appear in the upcoming film.
"We wanted to weave in all of the people that the fans loved, and when you sat back with all the ingredients and story, you're like, how do we make this work?" Fletcher tells Entertainment Weekly in a new interview.
"It was very difficult to try to have them be a part of it, because we did talk about it — painstakingly. You're trying to stay on track with story, even if they came in as a cameo. People would say, 'They could be in the background!' and I'm like, really? You're going to put the leads of the first movie in the background and be satisfied? You're not going to be satisfied, you're going to be angry."
Katz and Shaw aren’t the only OGs of the film who will not return. Thora Birch, who played Max’s younger sister, Dani, will not return. Also not making a comeback are Larry Bagby and Tobias Jelinek, who played bullies Jay and Ernie. Jason Marsden, who did the feline voice of Thackery Binx, also won't be in the film.
So far, the only supporting actor from the 1993 original who landed a role in the sequel is Doug Jones, who plays Billy Butcherson.
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy have reunited as the Sanderson Sisters for the highly anticipated sequel which is set 29 years after Max lit the infamous black flame candle, and the trio of witches unleashed their terror in Salem.
Also joining Hocus Pocus 2 is Sam Richardson, Hannah Waddingham, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Froyan Gutierrez and Tony Hale.
Hocus Pocus 2 premieres on Disney+ Sept. 30.
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