'Hocus Pocus 2' trailer has been released and Newport is featured
The trailer for the film "Hocus Pocus 2," which was partially filmed in Newport late last year, was released Tuesday.
The film stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy, who reprise their roles as the Sanderson Sisters. The original "Hocus Pocus" was released in 1993.
"Three young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern-day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world," the film's storyline reads, according to IMDB.com. "The world may have been free of Winifred, Mary, and Sarah and the fear they invoked in us all, but what happens when you mess with magic? It messes back."
Filming took place in Newport in November as Washington Square was transformed into the site of the “The 27th Annual Salem Scare Fest," with festival-type booths lining Eisenhower Park.
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The trailer, which is about 1½ minutes, shows a quick shot of Newport within the opening 20 seconds. Two girls are walking their bikes along Touro Street toward a the "Magic Shoppe," a makeshift cottage that was built about a week before filming commenced and since has been taken down. The last scene also appears to show Newport at the "Scare Fest."
The first photo released by Disney, which is producing the film, shows the Sanderson Sisters standing inside the Colony House.
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While the area was closed to vehicular traffic during the shoot, it was open to foot traffic and drew a large number of onlookers. “It’s just exciting,” Newport resident Karen Jenkins said at the time. “I mean, how often do you get to see a movie set?”
That additional foot traffic also gave area restaurants a boost. The crew set up its Rhode Island headquarters in Lincoln, and Providence also was a filming location.
Streaming for the film begins Sept. 30 on Disney+.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: 'Hocus Pocus 2' trailer has been released featuring Newport, RI
