Spoilers ahead for Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+.
Nearly 30 years after their torment on Salem, the Sanderson Sisters have returned for the long-awaited Hocus Pocus sequel. Although Hocus Pocus 2 has a lot of Easter Eggs from the original film, there is one thing that is a little different. Hardcore fans would remember that Kathy Najimy’s Mary Sanderson had a crooked mouth. Though when the sisters are resurrected for a second time, it’s on the other side. Now the actress is revealing just why that is the case.
Kathy Najimy’s beloved witch is definitely known for having her quirks and dealing with the short end of the stick when it comes to air travel. In the first Hocus Pocus, Mary’s mouth on one side was always crooked, and it was never explained why and they keep it up in the new film, though slightly differently. Najimy spoke to EW about it and the explanation is simple yet makes total sense:
It's on the other side mainly because it's so hard for me to do it on the side I did it on 30 years ago. I'm sure the fans are going to go into deep detail about why it's on the other side. It's just something I came up with the first week. This is a big comedy, so you don't have to be subtle or have a 40-page Shakespearean backstory.
Hocus Pocus was definitely a simple film back in the day, which is why it’s so beloved still to this day. The storyline was easy to follow; it was cheesy, but you still couldn’t help but to love it. And most critics found Hocus Pocus enjoyable, so even if the crooked mouth was a little part of the movie, it definitely made it interesting.
Those that have seen Hocus Pocus 2 may have caught that there actually was a subtle explanation to the reverse crookedness, according to Najimy:
We can justify it because there's a scene at the beginning where Winnie slaps me, and my mouth goes to the other side, and then she slaps me again, and it goes to the other side and sticks.
While the explanation is short, it works pretty well, even if it’s a blink-and-you'll-miss-it scenario. Since the sisters have been gone for so long, it could also explain why the crooked jaw is on the other side. But either way, Mary is still as quirky as ever, and her getting upgraded from a vacuum to a Roomba proves it.
Meanwhile, the ending of Hocus Pocus 2 might have indicated the return of the Sanderson Sisters in the future, as a black cat went up by a box labeled “B.F. #2” as in there’s a second Black Flame Candle to bring them back. While talks of a third movie might be a while from now, fans can still theorize about what might happen and if Mary’s mouth will be crooked on its original side. Maybe we can also hope for the return of Max, Dani, and Allison? With Thora Birch dismayed about not appearing in the sequel, there’s no doubt she’d want to return for another one if given a chance.
Hocus Pocus 2 is now streaming on Disney+ with a subscription, so make sure to grab your broomsticks and spellbooks for a scary good time. If you need more fights in your life, be sure to check out all the horror movies for 2022 and in the future.
