10 Things You Didn't Know About Hocus Pocus
3. It Was A Box Office Flop
For most people, they enjoyment of Hocus Pocus comes from it being a nostalgic childhood favourite (that's not to say it can't be enjoyed by the older generation). That's why most don't remember that it was a box office flop on its first release.
The film was released in July 1993, strategically so that more children could see it whilst being off school for the summer. This was also so that it wouldn't be in competition with The Nightmare Before Christmas. Movie reviews were very harsh and ticket sales were even worse. Hocus Pocus debuted in fourth place at the weekend box office, before swiftly dropping out of the top ten and overall earning £39.5 million, a disaster for the Disney studios.
In October 2020, the tables turned as Hocus Pocus was played in selected cinemas and became the biggest box office re-release of the year. Proof that the movie has immensely grown in its fanbase since when it first debuted.