Yes, Hocus Pocus 2 conjured up 3 surprise Emmy nominations
- Movie
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy put a spell on the TV Academy, as their long-awaited Hocus Pocus 2 scored a witchy trio of surprise Emmy nominations Wednesday morning.
After shattering streaming records on Disney+ following its September 2022 debut, Hocus Pocus 2 scored Emmy nods for Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes, Outstanding Music Composition For A Limited Or Anthology Series, Movie Or Special (Original Dramatic Score), and Outstanding Television Movie.
The film's individual nominees include John Debney, the composer behind the original 1993 Hocus Pocus film who returned to work on the music for director Anne Fletcher's sequel.
After the massive success of the film — which followed the Sanderson Sisters' resurrection after an unwitting group of modern-day Salem teens lit the Black Flame candle — Disney revealed that it is developing a third movie in the series. OG cast member Omri Katz recently told EW that he's not been asked to return, after costars Vinessa Shaw, Jason Marsden, Larry Bagby, Tobias Jelinek, and Thora Birch all did not reprise their roles in the second film.
In an exclusive interview ahead of Hocus Pocus 2's release, Midler expressed her desire to continue the story in a third project.
"I'm envious of other actors who have franchises, and I was hoping for a sequel to First Wives Club, but we never got that. After 30 years with no sequel to Hocus Pocus, I've always been envious of people who get to do their favorite character more than once. The fact that we got to do this finally, after 30 years of promoting the idea, I'm glad we got to do it. I'd love to have a franchise — especially a character I love playing," she said. "If there was a third one, of course I'd sign on, but I don't know how. I can't imagine what the story would be, but I love Winifred, Sarah, Mary, and our relationship. It's good for women. We stick together through hell and high water, but we do cause mayhem, and not many women cause that much mayhem!"
Added Parker: "Kathy had a good idea that the third one should be animated. That would be cool and a smart idea. It's fun, funny, and could be interesting and innovative, like old-fashioned or new [animation].... Of course, I'd be happy to have a conversation [for a third film], it just depends on what Kathy and Bette want!"
The 2023 Emmys air Sept. 18 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on Fox. See the full list of nominees.
Check out more from EW's The Awardist, featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and our podcast diving into all the highlights from the year's best films, TV, and music.
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