No need to wait any longer for a virgin to light a candle! As of June 28, the Sanderson Sisters are back as a new teaser trailer for Hocus Pocus 2 has been released.

According to the movie’s official synopsis, the Sanderson Sisters are “looking for revenge” after 29 years of waiting since the first movie for someone to light the Black Flame Candle.

“Now it is up to three high-school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow’s Eve,” the synopsis reads. 

Disney+ announced on Twitter that the film will be available only through the streaming service on September 30, just in time for spooky season. The short trailer for Hocus Pocus 2 doesn’t reveal much, but it more than does its job of assuring fans that their favourite elements from the first film will make a reappearance.

Not only will Winnifred, Mary and Sarah return, played once again by the inimitable Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker respectively, but beloved man-turned-cat Thackery Binx is back as well, and the trailer even hints at another iconic musical performance that will *ahem* put a spell on you. 

This Halloween season, some legends never die. 🕯

Hocus Pocus 2, an Original movie event, is streaming September 30 on #DisneyPlus. #HocusPocus2 pic.twitter.com/MYiFNYKZWD

— Disney+ (@DisneyPlus) June 28, 2022

Entertainment Weekly has also reported that Winifred’s zombie-esque ex-boyfriend, William ‘Bully’ Butcherson, will appear in the film as well, as Doug Jones is also returning for the sequel.

While the film will feature a variety of fantastic new talent, worthy of special note are the reports that Ginger Minj, Kahmora Hall and Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté, all of Drag Race fame, have roles in the film. Rumour has it that the drag queens come face to face with the Sanderson Sisters while playing drag versions of the witches themselves. One can only assume chaos and hilarity ensue.

If that isn’t enough to have you marking your calendar, the film also could potentially involve a lesbian romance. In 2018, Disney released a novelised version of the original Hocus Pocus movie and the story to “The All-New Sequel,” which features a love story between the daughter of Max and Alison (from the original movie) and another girl from her high school.

However, it is unconfirmed whether the movie sequel will follow the same lines as this novel, especially since the names of the teens appear to be different in the movie from those in the book

Even if it doesn’t feature an explicitly queer character, though, Hocus Pocus 2 may well gain iconic status among LGBTQ+ people, as the first movie is hugely popular in the community. People are excited, to say the least.

the gays after seeing the Hocus Pocus 2 trailer: pic.twitter.com/pB6ZpvhJnt

— Bradley 🦋 (@bradleyberdecia) June 28, 2022

https://twitter.com/garethjoyner/status/1541832965050843137

Different people propose different reasons for this popularity. 

Rachel Shatto called the Sandersons “pure drag camp” and notes that each actress is individually loved by the LGBTQ+ community, and Kevin O’Keeffe pointed out the way the film differs from many in its treatment of male virginity and sensitivity and Bette Midler’s iconic performance of ‘I Put A Spell On You.’

J Bryan Lowder wrote that “the Sanderson sisters—like the gays I know and love best—occupy most of their time by camping about and complaining about how youth is wasted on the young.” 

It could also simply be the way that Halloween in itself is so loved by the LGBTQ+ community, as the time when anyone can be absolutely anything. 

Regardless of the reason, expect gay bars to be empty on September 30, and the houses of those friends with Disney+ to be full instead. Text them now, and secure that spot on the couch!