The kids from Hocus Pocus have reunited 30 years later. The 1993 cult classic followed a group of kids in Salem on Halloween night squaring off against the Sanderson sisters, a trio of resurrected witches played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. Those kids included new transplant Max (Omri Katz), his little sister Dani (Thora Birch), Max’s love interest Allison (Vinessa Shaw), and Thackery Binx, a teenager trapped in the body of a cat (voiced by Jason Marsden).
Per Bloody Disgusting, in honor of the Hocus Pocus 30th anniversary, Salem, Massachusetts held an event called It’s Just a Buncha Halloween. The event, which included a costume party, a drag show, a raffle, and more, also reunited Katz, Birch, Shaw, and Marsden, who took to the streets for a photo opportunity. Marsden shared that the event “exceeded my expectations” while Shaw said, “I had the best time.” Read their full quotes at the below. Bloody Disgusting was also able to share some photos from the event, which can be viewed here:
Everything the Hocus Pocus Kids Have Done Since the Movie’s Release
The Hocus Pocus box office bombed during its initial release, though its video release and subsequent rewatches have made it a minted classic for the Halloween season in the ensuing years. Because of this, the movie remains one of the most prominent titles on the resumes of each of its young stars. However, they have all had major career developments either on or offscreen in the past three decades.
Katz is the only Hocus Pocus cast member at the reunion who has largely stepped away from acting since the 1990s, instead focusing his energy on his cannabis apparel company The Mary Danksters. Birch’s post-Hocus Pocus credits include major roles in Ghost World, opposite Scarlett Johansson, and American Beauty, which went on to win five Oscars including Best Picture. Shaw also appeared in an Oscar-nominated movie, 3:10 to Yuma, in addition to other roles in titles including Murder, She Wrote, Eyes Wide Shut, and Ray Donovan.
Of the quartet, Marsden has had the most expansive career, with his success – mostly as a voice actor – to pushing his resume to include over 200 titles. He has provided voices for projects such as Transformers: Rescue Bots, DuckTales, and The Fairly OddParents, among many others. While Hocus Pocus still looms large in their lives, the actors must have had a lot to catch up on about their wide-ranging careers in this exciting new reunion.
Full Quote from Jason Marsden
It exceeded my expectations! Not to present false modesty, I understand how popular this project is, but I never expected the amount of people to flock to the party and to wait out in the rain for hours on end just to say hello to us. What made it all worthwhile was the energy by the local Salemites. It really, really enhanced the experience for us.
Full Quote from Vinessa Shaw
I had the best time. I haven’t been here for 31 years. The 30th anniversary presented the perfect opportunity to celebrate how much we enjoyed this film and celebrate the fans as well. We were crazy in some ways to come right in the middle of October, but we were welcomed by everyone. We’re completely indebted to the kindness of the locals using their expertise and their services to help make this special not only for us but for all the fans.
