If you close your eyes and think about the 1993 cult classic, you probably hear it. That haunting, breathy siren song drifting over Salem. Sarah Jessica Parker Hocus Pocus fans know exactly which scene I’m talking about. She’s flying on a broomstick, blonde hair wild, luring the town's children into a trap with a voice that sounds like velvet and danger.
It’s iconic. But honestly? The behind-the-scenes reality of SJP’s time as Sarah Sanderson is way weirder than the movie itself.
We’re talking about real-life witchcraft in her family tree. We're talking about her eating actual bugs on set. And yeah, we’re talking about why she famously claimed for years that she barely remembered what the movie was even about.
The Spider Scene Wasn't CGI
Let’s get the grossest part out of the way first. You remember that quick moment where Sarah Sanderson sees a spider crawling on a stone wall, giggles like a toddler, and then just... pops it in her mouth?
Most of us assumed it was some 90s rubber prop. Or maybe a clever camera cut.
Nope. During the 25th Anniversary Halloween Bash on Freeform, Sarah Jessica Parker casually dropped a truth bomb: she really ate the spider. No movie magic. No sugar-coated prop. Just a real, crunchy arachnid.
It’s the kind of "method acting" you’d expect from a gritty Oscar-winner, not necessarily from a campy Disney villain. But it speaks to the weird energy on that set. SJP was young, having the time of her life, and apparently didn’t mind a little extra protein if it meant selling the scene.
That "Haunting" Song and the Poe Myth
One of the biggest reasons Sarah Jessica Parker Hocus Pocus stays relevant every October is "Sarah’s Theme" (also known as "Come Little Children"). It is arguably the most atmospheric part of the entire franchise.
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For years, the internet has been dead certain that the lyrics were written by Edgar Allan Poe. It sounds like him, right? "Into a land of enchantment... the time's come to play." It has that gothic, Victorian misery that Poe did so well.
Even the company that licenses the song, Hal Leonard Corporation, once credited Poe in the sheet music.
But it’s a total lie.
The song was actually written by Brock Walsh and composed by James Horner (the guy who did the Titanic score). Walsh has gone on record saying he was just obsessed with Poe as a kid, so he mimicked that style. It’s a fascinating case of a "Mandela Effect" where an entire generation convinced themselves a Disney song was 19th-century literature.
SJP’s Literal Witch Ancestry
Here is the part that actually gives me chills.
In 2010, long after she had become Carrie Bradshaw and a global fashion icon, Sarah Jessica Parker appeared on the genealogy show Who Do You Think You Are? She went in expecting some boring records about immigrants or farmers.
Instead, she found out her 10th-great-grandmother, Esther Elwell, was actually arrested in Salem in 1692.
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She was accused of "sundry acts of witchcraft."
Imagine playing a Salem witch for Disney, making a career out of it, and then finding out your actual ancestor was hunted by the same people you were parodying. Esther was one of the lucky ones; the trials ended just as her case was heating up, so she escaped the gallows. But SJP admitted that finding that out changed how she viewed the role entirely. It wasn't just a costume anymore. It was family history.
Why the Sequel Felt So Different
When Hocus Pocus 2 finally hit Disney+ in 2022, there was a massive debate.
Some people loved seeing the trio back together. Others felt like SJP’s performance was... off. Some critics on Reddit even complained that she felt more like "Carrie Bradshaw in a corset" than Sarah Sanderson.
But look at the context. In the original 1993 film, Sarah Sanderson was a ditzy, flirtatious, boy-crazy siren. She was the "beautiful" one. Fast forward 29 years—playing a "boy-crazy teenager" energy when you're in your late 50s is a tough needle to thread.
The sequel leaned more into the sisterly bond than the individual "powers." It was softer.
Wait. Let's be real. The real reason people felt a shift is probably because SJP famously admitted to Stephen Colbert that she didn't remember the plot of the first movie. She remembered the "flying" (which she loved) and the "singing," but the actual story? She had to re-learn who Sarah Sanderson even was.
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The Flight Rig and the New York Times
If you want a mental image of SJP on set, don't picture her acting spooky. Picture her 30 feet in the air, strapped into a harness, reading a newspaper.
She loved the flying rigs so much that she refused to come down during camera resets. While Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy were probably getting their makeup touched up, Sarah Jessica Parker was just hanging out in the rafters, reading the New York Times in her purple witch robes.
That’s the energy she brought to the character—a mix of total detachment and weirdly intense commitment.
What’s Next for the Sanderson Sisters?
So, is Sarah Jessica Parker Hocus Pocus 3 happening?
The short answer: Yes.
Disney confirmed it back in 2023. In July 2024, Bette Midler was already making jokes about how they need to hurry up and film it while they're "still breathing." SJP herself told Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live that there have been "conversations."
But don't expect it to be a quick turnaround. These movies take forever to get through the Disney pipeline.
What You Can Do Now
If you’re a die-hard fan waiting for the third installment, there are a few things you should actually check out to bridge the gap:
- Watch the "Who Do You Think You Are?" episode (Season 1, Episode 1). It’s genuinely wild to see her reaction to the Salem records.
- Listen to the full James Horner score. There is a 20-minute unedited version of "Sarah’s Theme" floating around YouTube that includes orchestral swells you don't hear in the movie.
- Check out the book "Hocus Pocus & the All-New Sequel." This was a YA novel released a few years before the second movie. It actually follows Poppy Dennison (Max and Allison’s daughter) and provides a much darker take on the lore than the Disney+ sequel did.
The cult of Sarah Sanderson isn't going anywhere. Whether she's eating spiders or reading the news from a broomstick, SJP has cemented herself as the "cool" witch of the 90s—even if she can't remember the script to save her life.