You're sitting there, bowl of popcorn in your lap, wondering if you have enough time to squeeze in a viewing of the Sanderson Sisters before bed. It’s a classic dilemma. You don’t want to start a movie at 10:00 PM only to realize it’s a three-hour epic that leaves you a zombie at work the next morning. So, how long is Hocus Pocus exactly?
It’s actually shorter than you probably remember.
The original 1993 Disney cult classic clocks in at exactly 96 minutes. That is one hour and thirty-six minutes of 90s nostalgia, buckteeth, and Bette Midler chewing the scenery. Honestly, it’s the perfect length. In an era where every superhero movie feels the need to push past the 150-minute mark, Hocus Pocus is a masterclass in getting in, casting a spell, and getting out before the sun comes up. Literally.
Breaking Down the Minutes: Where Does the Time Go?
When we talk about the runtime, we aren't just talking about the credits. If you strip away the end scroll—which features some pretty great instrumental music by John Debney—you’re looking at about 88 to 90 minutes of actual story.
The pacing is frantic. We start in 1693 Salem with a dark, surprisingly grim opening for a "kids" movie. Thackery Binx loses his sister and his humanity in the first ten minutes. Then, we jump 300 years. Max Dennison, the "Virgin who lights the Black Flame Candle," spends about twenty minutes being a skeptical teenager before the chaos truly begins.
Most of the movie takes place over a single night. Because the Sanderson Sisters have to suck the lives out of the children of Salem before sunrise or turn to dust, the movie has a built-in ticking clock. This keeps the 96 minutes feeling incredibly tight. There is very little "fat" on this movie. We move from the cottage to the school, to the town hall dance, to the cemetery with almost no wasted motion.
How Long Is Hocus Pocus Compared to the Sequel?
If you're planning a double feature, you need to budget your time a bit differently for the follow-up. Hocus Pocus 2, which hit Disney+ in 2022, is slightly longer. It runs for 103 minutes (1 hour and 43 minutes).
Why the extra seven minutes? Well, the sequel spends significantly more time on the backstory of Winifred, Mary, and Sarah as children. We get a whole sequence in the forbidden woods that explains how they got the manual, Book. It’s a bit more "lore-heavy" than the original.
If you watch them back-to-back, you're looking at roughly 3 hours and 19 minutes of total screen time, excluding the time you’ll spend arguing about whether the original is better (it is).
Why the Short Runtime Helped It Become a Cult Classic
There’s a reason this movie didn’t kill at the box office in July 1993 but became a juggernaut on the Disney Channel and Freeform. It’s "re-watchable."
Because how long is Hocus Pocus is such a short commitment, it became the ultimate background movie for pumpkin carving or costume making. It’s snappy. You can quote the "Amuck! Amuck! Amuck!" line and ten minutes later, they’re already at the town party singing "I Put a Spell on You."
Director Kenny Ortega, who famously choreographed Dirty Dancing, brought a rhythmic pace to the film. Every scene has a beat. Even the transition scenes where the sisters are flying on vacuum cleaners or mops feel energetic. A longer movie would have dragged during the "walking through the woods" segments, but Ortega keeps the camera moving.
The Mid-90s Standard
Back in the 90s, live-action family comedies rarely crossed the two-hour mark. Think about The Addams Family (99 minutes) or Casper (100 minutes). These movies were designed for theaters to have as many "turnovers" as possible. More showings per day meant more ticket sales.
Hocus Pocus fits right into that theatrical sweet spot. It provides enough time for a three-act structure:
- The Inciting Incident: Lighting the candle.
- The Middle: The cat-and-mouse game through Salem.
- The Climax: The showdown at the cemetery.
Surprising Facts About the Filming Process
While the movie is short, the production was anything but simple. They spent months trying to get the "flying" rigs right. You have to remember, this was 1993. CGI was in its infancy. Most of those shots of the sisters in the air were practical effects using wires and green screens.
Bette Midler has gone on record saying it’s one of her favorite roles she’s ever played. She, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker had to spend hours in makeup before the cameras even rolled. When you see Winifred Sanderson’s elaborate hair and prosthetics, realize that for every minute of screen time, there were likely five hours of prep.
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Also, did you know that the "black flame candle" wasn't just a prop? Several versions were made, and the production designers had to ensure the flame looked otherworldly. The movie's visual density—the falling leaves, the dry ice fog, the orange glow of the pumpkins—makes the 96 minutes feel much more atmospheric than your average sitcom-style movie.
A Quick Guide for Your Viewing Party
If you are planning an event around the film, here is how to structure your time. Don't just look at how long is Hocus Pocus on the box; look at the experience.
- 0-15 Minutes: The 1693 Prologue. This is the "spooky" part. If you have very young kids, this is usually where they get scared.
- 15-45 Minutes: The Setup. Max, Dani, and Allison at the cottage. This is where the plot kicks into high gear.
- 45-75 Minutes: The Search. This includes the iconic bus ride ("Bubble, bubble, I'm in trouble") and the "I Put a Spell on You" sequence.
- 75-96 Minutes: The Final Battle and the emotional goodbye to Binx.
Keep in mind that if you're watching on a streaming service like Disney+, the "total time" might include the foreign language dubbing credits at the very end, which can add an extra 5-8 minutes to the progress bar. Don't let that fool you into thinking there's a post-credits scene. There isn't one in the 1993 version, though the sequel did play around with a teaser at the end.
The "Director’s Cut" Myths
Internet rumors often swirl about a legendary "two-hour cut" of Hocus Pocus. Fans point to deleted scenes shown in early trailers—like the sisters grocery shopping or more scenes with the bullies, Jay and Ice.
While those scenes were definitely filmed, there is no official "Extended Edition." Most of those cuts were made to keep the movie under that 100-minute mark. Disney knew their audience was mostly kids and families, and a two-hour movie about child-eating witches might have been a bridge too far for the attention spans of 1993.
The pacing we have now is what makes it a classic. It’s lean, mean, and green (mostly because of Winifred’s dress).
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Final Takeaway on the Runtime
So, if you're asking how long is Hocus Pocus because you're on a tight schedule, the answer is a comfortable 1 hour and 36 minutes.
It’s the ideal length for a weeknight movie. It’s long enough to feel like an adventure but short enough that you won't be regretting it when your alarm goes off at 6:00 AM.
Next Steps for Your Movie Night:
- Check your streaming settings to ensure you're watching the 4K remastered version; the colors are significantly better and make the short runtime feel more cinematic.
- If you're watching with kids, prepare for the 10-minute mark jump scare—it’s the only part that truly drags for the little ones before the sisters appear.
- Budget an extra 15 minutes if you plan on making "Hocus Pocus" themed snacks, as most themed recipes (like "dead man's toes") take longer to prep than the movie does to start.
Whatever you do, don't light the candle unless you're prepared for a long night of chasing a talking cat around a graveyard.