I Just Learned The Origin Story Of Hocus Pocus And It's Surprisingly Adorable

As every other TikTok video I come across right now is telling me, we’re getting close to spooky season. For those unfamiliar, this means snuggling up and watching Halloween movie including, of course, Disney’s Hocus Pocus.

The film, which was released in 1993, may have actually been considered a box office flop at the time of release, but it’s gained a cult following since, and now is considered to be a modern classic.

So much so, in fact, that a a sequel came out in 2022, a full 19 years after the original (although the less said about that, the better).

What you might not realise, though, is that the origins of Hocus Pocus date way back to before it hit our screens. 

Speaking on the documentary Hocus Pocus: Begin The Magic, screenwriter David Kirscher revealed that the film started life as a bedtime story he told to his daughter.

In huge news for fans of the feline star of Hocus Pocus, Thackerey Binx, the original story was actually inspired by, and based on, a cat. 

One night, producer David Kirschner and his young daughter were sitting outside their home when their neighbours’ black cat, Sam, walked by. David immediately started to make up a story of how Sam was once a human boy.

As you can imagine, his daughter wanted to know more about this formerly human cat. David said: “I contrived a legend which said that 300 years ago, a young boy was trying to protect his little sister from three witches who then cast a hex on him.”

Of course, as fans know, the cat did have a name change to “Thackerey Binx”, which definitely suits the character.

According to BFI London, executive producer described Binx as the “heart” of the Hocus Pocus story. 

We can’t say we disagree.

Hocus Pocus is available to stream on Disney+ now.