Thora Birch Reveals Why She Didn’t Return for ‘Hocus Pocus 2’
After 30 years of fans clamoring for a sequel, the much-anticipated sequel to Hocus Pocus has arrived, but although there are a few returning faces, Thora Birch, who played child Dani Dennison in the original, wasn’t able to reprise her role.
The actress is now opening up about her absence, sharing that several attempts were made to have Dani Dennison return for Hocus Pocus 2.
“There were three options we had for bringing Dani back, all of which I was excited by,” Birch tells ET Online. But, “by the time they got around to filming, I was already on something else.” Earlier in the year, while on the set of her Lifetime film The Gabby Petito Story, Birch told ET Online, at the time, “I was working on something else when they were filming … otherwise I was definitely going to be there on set with the girls.”
Fortunately, Birch has no ill-will towards the sequel, stating that she plans to stream the film on Disney +. “I’m excited for the fans who have been begging for Hocus Pocus 2 for years,” she says. “So yeah, I’ll be watching along with everybody else.” She concludes by saying the first film “holds such a special place in my heart.”
Hocus Pocus 2 reunites Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters, a trio of resurrected witches. In the original 1993 film, Dani Dennison was one of the children alongside her brother Max (played by Omri Katz, also not in the sequel) involved in the witch’s misadventures following their return to Salem, Massachusetts.
Hocus Pocus 2, Premieres Friday, September 30, Disney+
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P
The movie would of been better with the original cast members, I'm not too crazy about this sequel, pity!!!!🤨
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O
I loved the first Hocus Pocus and I can't wait for the second one, maybe there will be a 3rd and 4th
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O
I didn’t really care for the movie storyline or the plot, The first one was so good I was disappointed with the second one, people are saying it’s because I watch the first one and I thought the second word should be good however kids that have not seen the first one they might like the second one there were several things that I can tell you that I wasn’t happy with but I watched on the first thought it was that I was so excited but they really let me down.
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O
I feel pretty much the same the way! Reason why i don't like it is cause it just threw a bunch of new characters in! they weren't even that good! It ended up being boring without old characters like dani dennis max dennise and binx! I was really hoping fr the same cast!
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O
I truly wish that they had the original cast...
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B
Hocus pocus 1 sucks it was dumb, brainless, useless, complicated, & embarrassing. It didn't get used to focus & cooperate Dani Dennison (played by Thora Birch who does the same thing in Monkey Trouble, & The Hole) got his older brother Max upset she changes the subject could stay out of Max's way never listens and never understands her personality is the opposite virgin of Reva Cody from Streets of Fire/Road to Hell her older brother Max is the opposite virgin of Steven M. Kovacs from The Cable Guy, Jack Traven from Speed, Sam Emerson from the Lost Boys 1 & 2, Allan from White Water Summer, with the love of Courage Allison the opposite virgin of Alex Price from An American Werewolf in London together the 3 are the opposites of John Spartan & Lenina Huxley from Demolition Man, Clifford, Debra, and the Spice Girls themselves from Spice World, Willow Ufgood, Kayia Ufgood, & Elora Danan from WILLOW, The Grinch, Cindy Lou Who, & Martha May Ovier Who from How The Grinch Stoled Christmas, Howard T. Duck & Beverly Switzler from HOWARD THE DUCK and Oscar Diggs/ Oz, Disabled Girl/China Girl & Annie/Glinda The Good Witch of South from Oz the Great and Powerful. The first director of Hocus Pocus Kenny Ortega is the opposite virgin of Ben Stiller's The Cable Guy, Jeff Bleckner's White Water Summer, Late Joel Schumacher's The Lost Boys, John Landis's An American Werewolf In London, late Bob Spiers's Spice World, Marco Brambilla's Demolition Man, Ron Howard's Willow, & 2 Oz Scott's Boogedy.
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B
And Jan De Bont's Speed and kind a Tim Miller's Terminator: Dark Fate.
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R
I think they jumped the gun. Which is a bit odd because they waited so long to film the sequel. Should have waited for Dani, and others. The people who grew up loving and watching that movie is the market you should have been trying to appease. New plot was okay, but not as good as what we were all expecting.
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C
No they will not be making a 4 one said by Winnie because she said she would to old and might be sick when they make the next one
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O
I really wish that cobweb was binx! i was looking forward to the same cast members! It didnt feel right watching this movie without them! over all the movie was great though... still devistated about binx but... ill get over it! <3
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G
What was she working on? 13 Minutes? That made for tv movie was lame. She should've just held out for Hocus Pocus 2. Big mistake.
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P
I’m not a big fan of the second movie I wish it was like the witches getting younger and then needing help to get older cuz they were baby’s I think that would be interesting
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O
BAHAHAHA! I Agree so much! I would LOVE that!
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