How to watch Hocus Pocus this Halloween

While for many film fans that means digging into the scariest horror movies, Disney's 1993 comedy Hocus Pocus offers a somewhat less terrifying alternative – and always sees a surge in interest at this time of year.

The film follows the Sanderson sisters, three witches who are brought back to life by the actions of a teenager and return to wreak havoc in Salem, Massacusetts, and has become a cult favourite despite originally bombing at the box office.

In fact, the film has become so popular that a sequel has been greenlit, with the follow-up set to appear on Disney+ at some point in the future.

In the meantime, read below for all the details about where to watch the original film.

Is Hocus Pocus on Netflix?

No, the film is not currently streaming on Netflix, but it is available on several other streaming platforms.

How to watch Hocus Pocus

Hocus Pocus is available to stream on subscription services Sky, NOW TV and Disney+.

• Sign up to Disney Plus for £5.99 a month or £59.99 a year.
• Sign up for a NOW TV Entertainment Pass for £9.99 per month.
• Sign up for Amazon Prime for £7.99 a month with a 30-day free trial.

It can also be digitally rented, with YouTube and Google Play offering the film for £1.99.

Alternatively, it can be digitally purchased for £4.99 on services including Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Rakuten TV and YouTube.

And there's good news for those that would like to catch the film on the big screen – it recently had a theatrical rerelease and is showing in several cinemas around the country!

Hocus Pocus cast

The Rose actor Bette Midler, Sex and the City's Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy, who is otherwise best known for her roles in Sister Act and Rat Race, play witches Winifred, Sarah and Mary Sanderson, respectively.

Teenage heroes Max, Danni and Allison are played by Omri Katz, Thora Birch and Vinessa Shaw. Katz had previously gained recognition for his role of John Ross Ewing III - JR Ewing's son in the hit soap opera Dallas.

Birch went on to deliver acclaimed performances in American Beauty and 2001's Ghost World, while Shaw would appear in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut and Wes Craven's more sinister horror The Hills Have Eyes.

Hocus Pocus plot

In this witchy yarn, a group of children living in Salem, Massachusetts inadvertently wake up three wicked sisters from 300 years of sleep.

As the trio of witches wreak havoc on the town, the kids must find a way to stop them. They discover an unlikely ally in a local cat - whom the sisters had transformed from a boy, centuries earlier.

But time is running out, as the sorceresses locate a suitable sacrifice for a magic ritual that will grant them eternal youth.

What's happening with Hocus Pocus 2?

A sequel to Hocus Pocus is officially happening, with the follow up having recently landed a director in Hairspray’s Adam Shankman, who takes over from original director Kenny Ortega.

And what's more, the three stars of the original all look set to return to Salem, Massachusetts – with Bette Midler recently confirming the news, telling Fox 5 New York, “They want to make a movie, they’ve asked us if we were interested and of course all of us said yes.”

Fans might have to wait a little longer for plot details though – but one way or another we reckon the Sanderson sisters wreaking will be up to all sorts of mischief once again!

Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide.