US Disney Plus subscribers were put under a spell by Hocus Pocus 2 during its premiere weekend, as the sequel to the 1993 Halloween classic became the most-watched movie premiere on the streaming service in the US ever. These numbers are based on the hours streamed in the movie’s first three days of release.
While specific numbers weren’t shared in the official announcement, it’s no small feat for Hocus Pocus 2 to set this record. Disney Plus has had massive hit movies debut from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Thor: Love and Thunder, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), Pixar (Soul, Luca, Turning Red) and more since the streaming service launched in the fall of 2019.
It seems that the return of Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the fantastically sinister Sanderson sisters grabbed the attention of both older audiences that already have a deep love for the original movie and younger, newer audiences discovering the series for the first time.
Hocus Pocus 2 takes place 29 years after the events of the original movie. When the Black Flame Candle is relit the Sanderson sisters are resurrected again and out for revenge against the town of Salem. Now, it’s up to three high school friends to stop the witches from becoming even more powerful and wreaking havoc on their homes.
In addition to the witchy trio — Middler, Parker and Najimy — Hocus Pocus 2 stars Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Lilia Buckingham, Sam Richardson, Tony Hale, Froy Gutierrez and, another returning star from the original, Doug Jones.
In the What to Watch Hocus Pocus 2 review, we gave the sequel four stars, writing that "nostalgia and freshness make for a sequel as bewitching as the original." Overall opinion of the movie has been generally positive from critics, as Rotten Tomatoes has the movie sitting at a 62% "Fresh."
Based on this success and the Hocus Pocus 2 after-credits scene, perhaps we won’t have to wait almost 30 years for another entry in the Hocus Pocus franchise. In the meantime though, you can stream both Hocus Pocus 2 and the original Hocus Pocus exclusively on Disney Plus.
