‘Hocus Pocus’: Disney Classic Casts Unexpected Spell At Weekend Box Office!

October 4, 2020

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‘Hocus Pocus’: Disney Rerelease Casting Unexpected Spell At Weekend Box Office!

From deadline.com-

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Here’s something no one was really expecting at the weekend box office, especially during a depressed time when there aren’t any new major studio wide releases: Disney’s wide re-issue of 1993 cult classic witch comedy Hocus Pocus is doing rather well at 2,570 theaters on its way to what looks to be a $1.6M-$1.8M estimated weekend in the No. 2 spot behind Tenet.

That’s arguably the biggest amount of weekend cash we’ve seen for a catalog title during the pandemic, besting Disney’s reissue of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back last weekend which grossed $908K at 2,097 theaters.

More impressive is the fact that Hocus Pocus aired on Disney sister cable network Freeform two nights ago on Oct. 1 with Midler live-tweeting. People will still go out to the movies, even now. That said, I hear drive-ins are leading the way for the bulk of Hocus Pocus‘ gross. Disney reported that yesterday’s numbers for the Better Midler-Sarah Jessica Parker-Kathy Najimy movie came in at $650K.

The 1993 Kenny Ortega-directed movie, which made $39.5M after a July release that year, follows a curious youngster who moves to Salem. There he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches (played by Midler, Parker, and Najimy) who were executed in the 17th century. A new incarnation of Hocus Pocus is in the works at Disney+ with TV writer producer Jen D’Angelo (Happy Together, LA to Vegas, Workaholics.

So…. are you going to see Hocus Pocus at the theater this year? I sure am!

author avatar
Michele Atwood Founder & Editor-in-Chief, The Main Street Mouse
Michele Atwood is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Main Street Mouse, one of Florida's leading Disney and theme park news sources since 2010. A credentialed Disney Partner and media professional, Michele serves as a theme park contributor and insider for Fox 35 Orlando and WDBO radio covering Disney and Central Florida attractions. Michele has also contributed to the Orlando Sentinel, WESH 2, and Spectrum News 13. Michele is the published author of four books — "Moving to Main Street U.S.A.," "How Many Sleeps Till Disney?," "How Many Sleeps Till Disneyland?" and "Daydream Believing: Confessions of a Grown Up Princess" and is co-owner of the House of Mouse Expo and Lost Princess Apparel. With over a decade of hands-on coverage of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and Central Florida theme parks, Michele brings firsthand expertise and media access to every story she covers.



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