HocusPocus2 will see Doug Jones' Billy Butcherson embark on a new adventure with Sam Richardson's character, and the actor promises it'll be a lot of fun: 'It was kind of like doing a buddy film.'
Billy Butcherson actor Doug Jones teases his character's story in Hocus Pocus 2. After nearly thirty years, the villainous Sanderson sisters will be returning to the screen. Joining Jones for the sequel, Hocus Pocus stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy are reprising their roles as the original trio of witches, Winnie, Sarah, and Mary.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY Hocus Pocus 2 will pick up twenty-nine years after the events of the original, when teenagers Becca and Izzy accidentally revive the vengeance-seeking Sanderson sisters. While the witches scheme in present-day Salem, their hidden past will be revealed in a flashback to their childhoods in the 1600s that shows how the Sanderson sisters became witches. Hocus Pocus 2 will also delve deeper into Billy's character.
We've already talked about that I spend a lot of my time in the movie with Gilbert, the character who manages and runs the Sanderson Museum, which is the Sanderson sisters' house, it's been turned into a museum and gift shop. So I spent a lot of time with him throughout the movie and he's played by the brilliant and hilarious Sam Richardson, I had so much fun playing with him in this movie as well. I guess that's all the hinting and teasing I can give you.
The Hocus Pocus sequel has been a long time coming, with nearly three decades passing since the original premiered, so expectations for the movie are understandably high. This means that Hocus Pocus fans will expect a character as beloved as Billy to stay faithful to his original appearance without repeating his story from the original. It seems Hocus Pocus 2 will avoid this problem by giving Billy his own subplot to follow with Gilbert, instead of returning him to Winnie's thrall.
Of course, Jones doesn't give any more concrete details about what Billy and Gilbert are doing in the new film, but considering Jones' comments, viewers won't need to worry about Billy losing his comedic touch. According to the actor, he had a blast creating a hilarious duo with Richardson. If Jones' enjoyment of working with Richardson translates to the screen, then Hocus Pocus 2 should be just as funny as the first.