Hocus Pocus 2 Set Photos May Contain A Major Reveal

Every producer in Hollywood wants each and every one of their films to be a slam-dunk hit at the box office and among critics. However, if you can't have great immediate critical success or a box office bonanza, a third-best option might be landing the so-called "cult classic" status. While there are plenty of ideas about what can make a film profitable or critically successful, the formula for a cult classic is certainly less definitive. Such is the case with the original "Hocus Pocus," a film that performed poorly at the box office (via Box Office Mojo) and was widely lambasted by critics at the time of its release in 1993, but is rewatched every Halloween by millions of fans around the world. According to Rotten Tomatoes, while only 38% of critics report having enjoyed the film, a whole 71% of audiences now say they have positive feelings about the classic Halloween movie.

Against all odds, "Hocus Pocus 2" is finally coming together nearly 30 years after the release of the first movie (via Variety). The film announced new cast members in November and is currently in the middle of production. A few recent photos from around the set of the upcoming film reveal an important clue about what could occur in the long-awaited sequel.

Like most popular film projects, "Hocus Pocus 2" has a working title, in addition to the real title of the film. In many cases, the working title of a project is a clever reference to something in the real movie. Photos posted on Instagram by user 'pvdnowandthen' show that the working title of "Hocus Pocus 2" is "Black Flame." "Black Flame " is an obvious reference to the black flame candle that first brought the Sanderson sisters back to life in the original film. 

In "Hocus Pocus," a legend says that Winifred Sanderson (Bette Midler), Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah Sanderson (Sarah Jessica Parker) will be brought back from the dead when a virgin relights a black flame candle on Halloween during a full moon. Not believing the story, Max Dennison (Omri Katz) lights the candle anyway, setting off the main series of events in the first film. Given those events, one has to wonder who would be foolish enough to light the candle again?

Since Disney has already released promotional photos labeled with the title "Hocus Pocus 2" (via Deadline), it seems unlikely that the studio will suddenly reveal a new release title. Still, it's interesting to know what the working title of the new film is, given the black flame candle's origins in the first film.

"Hocus Pocus 2" is set to debut on Disney+ in 2022 (via D23).