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Production on the family-friendly sequel Hocus Pocus continued this week as crews constructed a picture-perfect 17th-century American village.
The set, which was built in Lincoln, Rhode Island, is supposed to be a stand-in for Salem, Massachusetts, according to the Providence Journal.
The Halloween-themed Disney+ sequel began shooting last week with the original stars Bette Midler, 75, Sarah Jessica Parker, 56, and Kathy Najimy, 64, returning as the devilish Sanderson Sisters.
Back to business: Hocus Pocus 2 roars back into production as a village set was built in Lincoln, Rhode Island, to stand in for Salem Massachusetts circa 1670; pictured on Thursday
Crew members for the spooky comedy were seen constructing the set, which is set to be featured for two days of filming.
The whole gang: Bette Midler, 75, Sarah Jessica Parker, 56, and Kathy Najimy, 64, are all returning for the Disney+ film as the Sanderson Sisters, a trio of witches
Although the exteriors appeared flawless, most of the buildings and homes on the wooded lot appeared to just be façades with no interiors.
The set will be used for a dramatic action scene, as tanks that appeared to be filled with fuel for fire scenes were spotted near the buildings.
There were also two 500-gallon water tanks to help extinguish any pyrotechnics.
The 1993 original, which was directed by Kenny Ortega, featured a scene in which Midler, Parker and Najimy were trapped in a kiln and set ablaze.
However, the power of their dark magic proved strong enough to reconstitute their bodies in that film, so any attempts to incinerate them might also backfire on their fellow Salem residents.
The Lincoln set featured multi-story wooden buildings with brick chimneys, though mechanical cherry pickers hidden behind the façades contrasted with the period trappings.
Last week, a Rhode Island state air quality specialist was sent to the site for an inspection ahead of reports that the productions plans to burn down the set, according to the Providence Journal.
However, the inspector later clarified that only natural gas–powered ‘fire beams’ will be used, which will create flames but prevent the buildings from being burned down due to the use of flame-retardant materials.
Fiery scene: The wooden village will be set on fire, though it’s not expected to burn to the ground, The Providence Journal reported last week
False fronts: The buildings were mostly just façades, and modern cherry pickers were seen hiding behind the displays
A sequel to Hocus Pocus, which received withering reviews from critics, has been in development since 2017, but it only started to take shape after screenwriter Jen D’Angelo began writing a new screenplay in 2019.
The new picture will be helmed by Anne Fletcher, who directed the dance film Step Up (2006) and several comedies, including 27 Dresses (2008), The Proposal (2009), and Hot Pursuit (2015).
Although few details have been released about Hocus Pocus 2’s plot, the Sanderson sisters are expected to be revived in present-day Salem by a trio of three young girls.
The comedian and actor Sam Richardson, best known for his appearances on Veep and Netflix’s I Think You Should Leave, will be joining the cast in an undisclosed role.
A release date hasn’t been set yet for Hocus Pocus 2, but it’s expected to arrive on Disney+ in 2022.
Back for more: The 1993 original received poor reviews and failed at the box office, but it has become a cult classic on home video and the Disney Channel; Najimy, Middler and Parker seen in Hocus Pocus
New blood: Little has been revealed about the plot, in which the Sanderson sisters are revived in the present, but comedian Sam Richardson is joining the cast in an undisclosed role; seen October 18 in LA
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