Fact Check: Post Claims New 'Hocus Pocus' Prequel Series in Works at Disney. Here's the Truth

Claim:

A "Hocus Pocus" prequel series titled "Hocus Pocus: The Rise of the Sandersons" will premiere on Disney+ in October 2024.

Rating:

On May 19, 2024, a Facebook post from the page YODA BBY ABY claimed that a prequel series for the "Hocus Pocus" movie was in the works at Disney+.

The post, which had more than 75,000 likes and had been shared almost 45,000 times as of this writing, showed three young actors, purportedly playing younger versions of the trio of witches who are the main characters in the original movie. The post also claimed the series would be released in October 2024.

The caption read:

https://www.facebook.com/YodaBBYABY/posts/pfbid02mLpZQCv7KrguPVPotMhiTUC394Q8WkYfJBvcAd8aayQMtTpSiorfQLjVKKFMBwhil

Many online assumed the claim was real, with many Facebook users commenting that they would watch it.

However, the above claim was fabricated and there was no evidence that such a series was being made. If this were the case, there would have been mainstream news coverage and a Disney promotional campaign involving the main stars. A search of the names of the actors referenced in the post and their IMDb pages found there was no upcoming series with them in the roles.

A Google reverse-image search also yielded no authentic sources for the poster in the post. Disney's website also did not have the series on its upcoming slate.

The post originated from a Facebook page that is satirical in nature. YODA BBY ABY describes everything it posts as satirical. According to its Facebook introduction: "I'm just here to eat frogs, lift rocks and be satirical. The page is 100% satire and fake news." Given that this disclaimer is on the page, we rate this claim as "Labeled Satire."

The original "Hocus Pocus" was released in 1993, with the sequel "Hocus Pocus 2" released in 2022. All three actors who played younger versions of the Sanderson sisters' characters in "Hocus Pocus 2" were alleged to be a part of the prequel series. While there is no prequel series in the works, in a 2022 interview, Disney executive Sean Bailey said a third "Hocus Pocus" movie was in development (it was unknown whether it would focus on the younger days of the witches).

This is not the first time we have fact-checked posts from this page. Previously, a post promoted a fake poster for a "Die Hard" reboot supposedly starring John Krasinski.

For background, here is why we sometimes write about satire/humor.

Sources:

Barnes, Brooks. "The Man Reimagining Disney Classics for Today's World." The New York Times, 4 June 2023. NYTimes.com, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/04/business/media/disney-sean-bailey-live-action.html. Accessed 23 May 2024.

"Coming Soon." On Disney+, https://ondisneyplus.disney.com/coming-soon. Accessed 23 May 2024.

Evon, Dan. "Snopes Tips: A Guide To Performing Reverse Image Searches." Snopes, 22 Mar. 2022, https://www.snopes.com//articles/400681/how-to-perform-reverse-image-searches/. Accessed 23 May 2024.

Hocus Pocus. Directed by Kenny Ortega, Walt Disney Pictures, Touchwood Pacific Partners 1, 1993.

Hocus Pocus 2. Directed by Anne Fletcher, Walt Disney Pictures, David Kirschner Productions, The Walt Disney Company, 2022. Accessed 23 May 2024.

Izzo, Jack. "Is This a Real Poster Advertising a 'Die Hard' Reboot Starring John Krasinski?" Snopes, 7 Dec. 2023, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/die-hard-john-krasinski/. Accessed 23 May 2024.

"Juju Journey Brener | Actress, Music Department, Additional Crew." IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6087035/. Accessed 23 May 2024.

"Nina Kitchen | Actress." IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm13079661/. Accessed 23 May 2024.

"Taylor Henderson | Actress." IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10611021/. Accessed 23 May 2024.