Director Kenny Ortega Revealed We Almost Got This Frightening "Hocus Pocus" Deleted Scene

hocus pocus deleted scenehocus pocus deleted scene

I'm almost embarrassed to admit how many times I've watched Hocus Pocus during spooky season, but let's just say it's been a lot. It's become one of my comfort movies to watch when I need a pick-me-up, so hearing about a frightening deleted scene gives me all the feels. IMO, Hocus Pocus is already perfect, but it's always interesting to learn about what could've added a different element to this beloved classic.

Get ready to be shocked because director Kenny Ortega is taking us behind the scenes details about how Hocus Pocus became the version as we know it today.

Which scene was deleted from "Hocus Pocus"? 

Ortega told Entertainment Weekly about a scene that involved a child being kidnapped by Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy). Fans will recall that each of the Sanderson sisters were gifted with a particular talent, and Mary's was her penchant for smelling children. The scene was supposed to show her snatching a child and leaving the store as the mom tries to get the child back.

In his own words, Ortega said, "While the woman was shopping, she turned away from her cart for a moment, and Mary steals the cart because there's a child in it. The woman turns around and her child is gone, and the woman goes chasing after Kathy, who's trying to beat it with the child." Sounds super spooky, but now I'm itching to see it!

How did Ortega feel about this deleted scene?

As much as Ortega wanted to keep various juicy scenes in Hocus Pocus, he ultimately had to make the tough decisions to delete them. He told Entertainment Weekly that Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker were "improvisational geniuses," but that things had to be "left behind because of the length and timing" of the movie.

How did Disney originally feel about Bette Midler's performance in "Hocus Pocus"? 

Fans of Hocus Pocus will be surprised to know Disney wasn't on #TeamBette at first. In another Entertainment Weeklyinterview, Ortega said, "They were like, 'Uh, we're not quite sure this is the direction we want you to go in,'" when Disney spoke to Bette Midler. In classic diva form, Midler essentially told the entertainment giant they'd have to see things her way if they truly wanted her to be Winifred Sanderson.

What changed Disney's mind about Bette Midler's approach to "Hocus Pocus"?

www.youtube.com

“I Put A Spell On You” By Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker & Kathy Najimy | Hocus Pocus

Entertainment Weekly is happy to report that Disney couldn't resist Midler's charms when they saw her in action on the set of Hocus Pocus. Ortega said, "Everybody was laughing and happy." It goes to show that sometimes the best work isn't always the more polished image we may have in mind.

I personally like the camp version of Hocus Pocus because it adds to the movie's overall charm and cult following. Call it a diva move, but Midler knew exactly what she was doing when she put her foot down about her take on Winifred Sanderson.

How do you feel about the deleted scene from Hocus Pocus? Let us know in the comments!

Lead image via Image via YouTube/Walt Disney Pictures.

It looks like Sydney Sweeney loves an internet rabbit hole as much as we do. The Euphoria actress is producing and starring in a new movie from Warner Bros. inspired by a Reddit short story that had the internet buzzing. Keep reading for the full scoop on the movie, and the insane Reddit post that inspired it, called "I pretended to be a missing girl so I could rob her family."

Here’s everything we know about Sydney Sweeney’s new movie from Warner Bros., coming soon.

Sydney Sweeney's new movie isn't the first "creepypasta" Reddit adaptation.

The movie is based on a Reddit short story called "I pretended to be a missing girl so I could rob her family," written by Joe Cote in the r/nosleep forum on Reddit. The channel provides users the space to post spooky short stories from a first-person perspective — and to discuss all the posts like the stories are real.

This tale follows a drifter who decides to pose as a missing girl to trick and rob the girl’s family. But it doesn’t take long for her to realize she’s made a terrible mistake. Other "creepypasta" stories from a subreddit (which, according to Business Insider, is a term inspired by "copypasta," blocks of text that go viral and become memes) have been adapted for the screen like 2018's Slender Man movie, inspired by the character in the Something Awful internet forum.

This isn’t the first project Sydney Sweeney has produced — she worked behind the scenes on Anyone But You with Glen Powell and her horror flick Immaculate. She’s also an executive producer on BookTok adaptation The Housemaid, which is directed by Paul Feig and stars Brandon Sklenar and Amanda Seyfried alongside Sydney.

Alongside Sydney producing, we'll also get a script by Eric Roth, the Oscar-winning writer behind Dune and Forrest Gump. Stay tuned for the latest news on the I Pretended To Be A Missing Girl cast and release date as we receive updates!

Check out Netflix's New Murder Mystery Show The Residence for a different kind of thrill!

2017's The Beguiled gave us one of the best groups of people of all time: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Sofia Coppola, and Kirsten Dunst just to name a few. And we're finally getting an Elle and Nicole reunion thanks to Apple TV+! "THRILLED to bring @rufithorpe genius hysterical heart-wrenching heartwarming book to your TV screens alongside a dream group of people!" Elle says on Instagram. Rather than having to test the success of its pilot, the series was ordered before the book was even out.

Here's everything you need to know about Apple TV's Margo's Got Money Troubles, starring Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning.

Who's in the Margo's Got Money Troubles cast?

Amy Sussman/Mike Coppola/Getty Images

The Margo's Got Money Troubles cast is truly incredible. We couldn't contain our excitement when we learned Margo's Got Money Troubles will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, but knowing Michelle Pfeiffer is also joining the cast is too much to bear! This is the first time the actress will collaborate with her husband, TV creator David E. Kelley, so we can't wait to see the magic they'll create (via Deadline). Here's the full lineup!

  • Elle Fanning as Margo Millet: a young woman who finds success on OnlyFans after a surprise pregnancy.
  • Michelle Pfeiffer as Shyanne: Margo's mom and a former waitress at Hooters.
  • Nick Offerman as Jinx: Margo's ex-pro wrestler dad.
  • Nicole Kidman: Margo and her professor's mediator.
  • Michael Angarano as Mark: Margo's professor.
  • Thaddea Grahamas Susie: Margo's roommate.
  • Greg Kinnear as Kenny: Shyanne’s religious boyfriend.

When is Margo's Got Money Troubles coming out?

Ron Lach/Pexels

We don't have a Margo's Got Money Troubles release date yet, but stay tuned for the latest news!

Where is Margo's Got Money Troubles filming?

Paul Deetman/Pexels

Margo's Got Money Troubles is reportedly filming in Los Angeles right now! Production began in February and is expected to wrap in May.

What is Margo's Got Money Troubles about?

Amazon

Margo's Got Money Troubles Plot

Margo Millet is the daughter of a Hooter's waitress named Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-wrestler. She's always had to make it on her own, even though she's not sure how. When she enrolls in her local junior college, she's totally unprepared to get swept up into a torrid love affair with her English professor — or to get pregnant.

Now at 20 years old, Margo needs an income and fast. She decides to experiment with OnlyFans and ends up taking some of her estranged father's advice from the world of wrestling to create a character users will fall in love with. You can order the book now!

A24 is backing the series, as well as Elle and Dakota Fanning’s production company Lewellen Pictures and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, to name a few.

What else has Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in?

Focus Features

Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in 2017's The Beguiled. The movie follows John McBurney, an injured Union soldier, who winds up at a female Southern boarding school after deserting the Civil War. But soon, as the women help him, tensions turn to rivalries and friends turn to enemies. I can't wait to see them onscreen together again!

Are you excited for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV reunion? Let us know what other New TV Shows you're watching before Margo's Got Money Troubles hits Apple TV.

Brit + Co may at times use affiliate links to promote products sold by others, but always offers genuine editorial recommendations.

This post has been updated.

The Twisters storyline is said to continue with a sequel! A second iteration of the 2024 remake is “reportedly in the works,” according to entertainment writer and insider, Daniel Richtman. That could potentially mean more Daisy Edgar-Jones, and, of course, more Glen Powell!

Here’s everything we know about Twisters 2.

Who will star in 'Twisters 2'?

Melinda Sue Gordon for Universal Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures / Amblin Entertainment

Though we don’t have an official casting for the film quite yet, fans are speculating that Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell would return for a Twisters sequel.

“There's no doubt in my mind that Powell and Edgar-Jones are game to reprise their lead roles,” Jordan Ruimy writes for World of Reel.

“I don’t think it needs a sequel but if they can write a compelling story with halfway decent character development and maintain the chemistry in the cast, I’d definitely go see it,” one Twisters fan wrote on Reddit.

What will 'Twisters 2' be about?

Melinda Sue Gordon for Universal Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures / Amblin Entertainment

There’s no word on the plot of a Twisters sequel, either. Some fans of the film were definitely quick to share some theories for it:

“Tyler faces the moral dilemma about click bait vs accurate information. Kate gets upset about him profiting off of people’s fears. Then Tyler adjusts some way. Still can get tornadoes in there easily,” one person wrote. “Or they could continue down the experiment route and having to get and keep funding looking for better ways to stop a tornado. Or the fall out of the sodium ruining the farm land.”

“Another film to continue the chemistry between Kate and Tyler would be sick,” another user said.

While a potential Twisters 2 sounds appealing to some fans, others are hesitant to greenlight it, preferring a separate storyline instead.

“I'm open to the idea of a Twisters sequel, but I'd prefer they'd leave it as a standalone film,” one more person weighed in.

When does 'Twisters 2' come out?

Melinda Sue Gordon for Universal Pictures / Warner Bros. Pictures / Amblin Entertainment

Twisters hit theaters last year in the summertime, so we predict any potential Twisters 2 would come out the summer of 2026. It’s a tad bit too early to say for sure, though, since murmurings of the movie are still fairly new.

Subscribe to our newsletter for more 2025 movie news!

An Aldi fan on Reddit recently compared the cost of their grocery list at Aldi to several major stores, and we’re absolutely floored by the results. One of our favorite places to go even ended up being 71% more expensive than Aldi – yikes!But in this economy, we can believe it.

Of course, if we're talking about grocery stores, we can’t forget to mention Trader Joe’s! Not only do we love TJ’s for their notoriously quirky vibe and fun new finds, we opt to shop there because it’s seemingly affordable (keyword here being seemingly).

We calculated the cost of a similar grocery list at Trader Joe’s to the Aldi’s one on Reddit, and the final tally was a bit… shocking.

Scroll on to see which retailer wins for affordability in the Trader Joe’s vs. Aldi debate!

Aldi

The original poster on Reddit, an Aldi fan for sure, totaled up a basic grocery list consisting of 22 items from Aldi and concluded: “All I can say is, wow. I know I’m preaching to the choir here but these savings are insane.”

Whole Foods

The Redditor also provided grocery list totals for several other popular grocery stores to compare the Aldi list to. They also made sure to note that they get their grocery shopping done in the Chicagoland area, so that could definitely explain why the numbers may be a little different where you live. Knowing that, here’s what they came up with:

  • Aldi: $60.40
  • Walmart: $74.80 (24% higher)
  • Jewel: $83.90 (39% higher)
  • Whole Foods: $103.51 (71% higher)

Reddit

We did the heavy lifting and concocted a similar grocery list for Trader Joe’s. For reference, see the Aldi bill above, and the TJ’s bill in the bullet points below:

The Trader Joe's List

  1. Tiny Fruity Cuties Cereal (like Fruit Loops) $3.99
  2. Everything but the Bagel Seasoned Crackers (This was the most similar TJ’s product to Aldi’s cheese crackers we could find, plus most of TJ’s crackers average around $2.99 anyways.) $2.99
  3. Saltines (TJ’s no longer sells their version of saltines, but according to one Redditor, they were $1.99.) $1.99
  4. Avocado oil$7.99 (Two more dollars than Aldi!)
  5. Organic black beans $1.19
  6. Unscented deodorant $4.99
  7. Brownie Truffle Baking Mix $3.97 (Two more dollars than Aldi!)
  8. Romaine hearts (We weren't able to find an organic option listed on TJ’s site.) $2.99
  9. Large eggs $4.99
  10. Multicolor peppers (Only organic is listed on TJ’s site.) $2.99
  11. Green peppers (Only red organic peppers are listed on TJ’s site.) $3.99
  12. Seedless cucumber (The only comparable option TJ’s has for the Aldi’s list above is the Persian cucumbers.) $2.49
  13. Mild cheddar cheese (The only comparable option TJ’s has for the Aldi list above is the Shredded Unexpected Cheddar Cheese.) $4.99
  14. Cilantro (This isn’t listed on TJ’s site, but they do sell it in-store. Various sources report different prices for cilantro. Abillion forums say it’s $1.29, but Taste of Home reports $1.99. We're averaging the two for a final item price.) $1.64
  15. Tuna pouch $1.79
  16. Hummus (Only organic is listed on TJ’s site.) $2.99
  17. Yellow onion (Assuming 1 since the quantity isn't clear in the Aldi list above.) $0.99
  18. Red onion (Assuming 1 since the quantity isn't clear in the Aldi list above. TJ’s doesn’t have red onion listed on their site, so we're also assuming it’s a similar price to their yellow onion.) $0.99
  19. Carrots (Assuming 1 since the quantity isn't clear in the Aldi list above. Only organic is listed on TJ’s site.) $2.49
  20. Avocados(Pack of 4, like Aldi.) $5.99
  21. Celery (TJ’s doesn't have celery listed on their site, but they do sell it in-store. For this comparison, we're assuming it’s the same price as Aldi’s celery.) $1.69
  22. Potato chips (TJ’s doesn't have baked chips like Aldi does, so we went with the most basic potato chip option to compare, the Ridge Cut Potato Chips with Sea Salt.) $3.99

Aldi vs. Trader Joe's: The Price Comparison

Trader Joe's

Aldi’s total came to $58.75 without tax, while the Trader Joe’s total ended up clocking in at $68.14 without tax for (mostly) similar items on the Aldi list. That means that TJ’s only came to cost $9.39 more than Aldi for a very comparable haul. 🤔

Aldi

So, who really wins the Aldi vs. Trader Joe’s debate? If you were to measure it solely by the numbers, it’d be Aldi – though the margins aren’t as big as they are at, say, Whole Foods (71% more, remember?!) or drastically big in general.

Aldi vs. Trader Joe's: Who's The Winner?

Trader Joe's

Both Aldi and Trader Joe's definitely have their respective charms. While Aldi boasts a fan-favorite ‘aisle of shame’ and a streamlined store design, Trader Joe’s never stops the flow of fun, new products that keep fans in a chokehold. If you’re set on choosing a clear winner, we say go with your heart – going off of this basic comparison, you’ll honestly end up spending a similar amount of money shopping at Aldi vs. Trader Joe’s.

Do you have a favorite grocery store? Let us know in the comments and make sure to subscribe to our newsletter for more news from your go-to grocery stores!

There have been many years when I really had to scrimp to pay my taxes, but I’ve found that casseroles, frozen veggies, and meatless meals are a great way to help make ends meet. Admittedly, you should be frugal about your grocery expenditures at any point during the year. But during tax season, it can be especially crucial to pinch pennies (at least until you get that tax refund, that is!).

Not long ago, I was that person who went to the grocery story list-free and haphazardly selected items for my cart as I passed by. Then I realized that as tax season was approaching I should consider a more frugal approach to feeding myself. Intrigued by the idea, but skeptical about my ability to execute on it, I dove in and decided to pare down my grocery bill. Originally, I was worried that scrimping on price would mean lowering my standards for quality, but it turns out that with a little careful planning, you can make some really delicious meals on a dime. Scroll on to see what I discovered.

Photo by Katya Wolf

Use a Grocery List

The number one tenet of saving on your grocery bill is to make a list and stick to it. This goes hand in hand with meal planning and makes everything from budgeting to cooking a more streamlined process. Although it seems like a lot of upfront effort, think about it like this: Even if it took you one hour a week to plan — which, according to Investopedia, could help you save about $640 or more a year on food waste and other costs — that would save you about $12 an hour. For those who make $12-$15 an hour, the savings are like taking a paid week off of work!

Photo by Pixabay

Buy In Bulk On Sale Items

So many things freeze beautifully. When items that you use regularly are on sale, from bread to butter to meat, snap them up in bulk. Although the savings seems minimal, when you add it up over a year’s worth of purchases, the amount of money you keep in your pocket will be significant. Plus, if you buy in bulk, you’re always guaranteed to have your favorite ingredients on hand.

Shutterstock

Stockpile In The Freezer Section

If you’re doing things right and stockpiling, then you’re going to make good use of your freezer. Although we want to eat our favorite fruits and vegetables year-round, buying things in season is significantly cheaper, which means that when these items are affordable and available you’re going to want to stock up. Even if you’re buying pre-frozen fruits and vegetables, you’re saving money, and the research shows that you’re not losing any nutrients by doing so.

Photo by Thomas Le on Unsplash

Shop In Season

While you can most likely find your favorite items at your grocery store year-round, prices (and not to mention taste) will fluctuate greatly based on the season. In particular, if you’re buying tomatoes, berries, grapes, peaches, or asparagus out of season, you could really be hurting your grocery budget. Instead, opt for their frozen counterparts or wait until they are *naturally* back in the store.

Photo by Megan Bucknall on Unsplash

Enjoy More Casseroles

Casseroles do not belong in the 1950s. In fact, they are every bit as valuable today as they were 70 years ago. Why? Because they’re a healthy and delicious way to stretch out pricier ingredients and feed more mouths. You could feed each person one chicken breast or you could use two in an entire casserole which will feed you both for dinner and leave you with leftovers for lunch the next day. If you’re not sure where to begin, find tons of Brit + Co casserole recipe inspiration.

Photo by Andy Holmes on Unsplash

Use Herbs and Spices

Scenting your meals with a handful of herbs and spices is a good way to add a lot of flavor with little extra cost. Bonus points if you grow your own herbs. Also, you should definitely be buying spices in the international section of the store. I recently noticed that an ounce of cloves costs $3.79 in the spice aisle but 99 cents in the international section.

Photo by Nature Zen on Unsplash

Go Meatless Most Days

Meatless Mondays are all fine and dandy, but if you really want to save a few extra dollars, you need to make more than one day of the week meat-free. Not to mention, it’s better for your overall health to eat less meat. Studies show that people who eat less meat have a lower risk of dying from cancer, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses. So you’ll be doing something good for your wallet, and your well-being to boot.

Shutterstock

Get Cash Back On Groceries

Credit cards, like Credit One Visa and American Express offer cash back on groceries — a simple win for saving cash when grocery bills are higher than ever.

Subscribe to our newsletter for more money-saving tips!