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Actor Sean Murray revealed he had an unpleasant time watching the beloved Halloween movie, Hocus Pocus. People magazine reported that Murray, who appeared as Thackery Binx in his human form, discussed his initial viewing of the 1993 film when it premiered during the October 28 episode of The Patrick LabyorSheaux podcast. According to the NCIS actor, he experienced a panic attack as the movie played. “I remember when Hocus Pocus came out on like opening night, going to a theater somewhere in Universal City and and like hiding in the back of the theater and watching it,” recalled Murray while recording the podcast. “And I remember, I didn’t know what a panic attack was until that evening. The feeling of seeing myself on a screen like that. I was so terrified. I’ve never been more terrified in my life.” He also theorized that the experience caused him to have some difficulty watching his other projects. “And maybe that was so traumatizing that that’s why I don’t watch myself typically. Because I remember watching myself on a giant screen and going, ‘Oh my god, I can’t handle this. I can’t handle this,'” said the actor. In The Patrick LabyorSheaux podcast episode, Murray noted that Hocus Pocus didn’t initially do well in theaters. “It’s way more popular now than it was when we made the movie. It’s wild,” said the actor. He explained that it eventually found popularity “through rentals” and VHS tapes. He also noted that Hocus Pocus fills a void for Halloween movies that aren’t too scary for children. Bette Midler Said She’s Seen a Script for ‘Hocus Pocus 3’ A sequel to Hocus Pocus, titled Hocus Pocus 2, premiered in 2022. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy returned to play the spooky Sanderson sisters, Winifred, Sarah, and Mary, per IMDb. In an October 2025 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Midler said she’s seen a script for Hocus Pocus 3. She clarified that this doesn’t mean it’s currently in development. “They sent a script and a lot of it was brilliant. So, I got very excited and now we’re sort of like trying to figure out what it is. And how it’s going where it’s going to be and how much it’s going to cost,” said Midler in the interview. Thora Birch, who played Dani Dennison in the original Hocus Pocus film, said she would be interested in returning for a potential third movie in an October 2025 Entertainment Tonight interview. “I’d like to know what they land on, you know, for like how Dani wound up. I’m super open to the idea,” said Birch to the publication.
