Hocus Pocus 2 first reactions say it lives up to the original

The first reactions are in for Hocus Pocus 2 and it's good news for fans of the Disney classic.

The film, which will premiere on Disney+ at the end of the month, has received an overwhelmingly positive response from critics online who said the movie is a "great" follow-up to the 1993 original.

"Hocus Pocus 2 is the PERFECT kick off to spooky season! The Sanderson sisters are back in this hilariously fun film! Fans will be thrilled with all the callbacks. Was not expecting there to be some truly emotional moments mixed in. A great follow up to the original," wrote Rotten Tomatoes' Tessa Smith.

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sarah jessica parker, bette midler, kathy najimy, hocus pocus 2

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Critic Ashley Saunders tweeted that the film is a "delightfully evil" future Halloween classic. "The Sanderson Sisters are as delightfully evil as ever," she said. "[It] pays homage to the original while still feeling fresh. Funny, spooky, & definitely a new Halloween favourite.

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Joshua Ryan, critic for FandomWire, added: "Hocus Pocus 2 is pure magic! Destined to become a Halloween family tradition. It's exactly what you'd want from a legacy sequel, keeping the silly charm of the fan favourite original while evolving to fit a new audience nearly 30 years later."

belissa escobedo, whitney peak, hocus pocus 2

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Hocus Pocus 2 will see Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker reprise their roles as the the Sanderson Sisters as the three witches are inadvertently resurrected in modern-day Salem by three aspiring witches (played by Gossip Girl's Whitney Peak, Zoe Valentine's Lilia Buckingham and The Baker and the Beauty's Belissa Escobedo).

The sequel will also see RuPaul's Drag Race's Ginger Minj, Kornbread Jeté and Kahmora Hall star as the Sanderson sisters' drag counterparts.

Hocus Pocus 2 will be released on Disney+ on September 30, while Hocus Pocus is available to watch now.