If you needed any more convincing that spooky season is in full swing — aside from costume planning already starting up and Halloween candy starting to hit shelves in stores nationwide — the release of Hocus Pocus 2 on Sept. 30 should be an indicator. The original, which premiered in 1993, became one of the most iconic Halloween movies to watch for millennials and Gen Z, and the sequel only builds on that legacy. But other than the fun 2022 update and a new cast of characters in Salem, there’s one more thing we need to discuss about this new film — what’s up with the Hocus Pocus 2 end credit scene? Spoiler warning: This story contains spoilers for Hocus Pocus 2.
In case you’ve ended your viewing of the film feeling a bit confused, I’ve got you covered. First, we need a bit of context. The Hocus Pocus films take place in Salem, Massachusetts, aka home of the Witch Trials. As you may know from the original Hocus Pocus, the Sanderson sisters, Winnie (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary (Kathy Najimy) were executed in 1693, though not before Winnie could cast a curse of her own: If a virgin lights the Black Flame candle during a full moon on Halloween, the sisters can be resurrected and wreak havoc on Salem once again.
Of course, the entire reason the sequel could exist in the first place is because Hocus Pocus has a rather ambiguous ending of its own — the spellbook that the sisters rely on (aka Book) has a spooky eye that opens in the closing moments of the original. This suggests that the Sanderson sisters could one day utilize the magic of the Black Flame candle again.
And, well, that’s exactly what happens in the sequel when Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) light a candle given to Becca as a birthday present by Salem magic shop owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson). Turns out, Gilbert is a huge fan of the witches and has used his knowledge of the curse to hopefully bring them back. All he needed was Becca and Izzy’s help, since he couldn’t light the candle on his own. Thus begins a chase across Salem, while the Sanderson sisters attempt to cast a Magica Maxima spell that will give them ultimate power.
The end of Hocus Pocus 2 is rather sweet, actually — the present-day Salem girls find out that, according to Book, in order to have Magica Maxima, one must sacrifice something they love. When Winnie realizes that that means giving up her sisters, she decides not to go through with it. Instead, all three of them vanish into sparks. Thus ends the Hocus Pocus cinematic universe! Right? Well, not so quick.
In a very short post-credit scene, we’re back in Gilbert’s magic shop, where his black cat Cobweb (not to be confused with Thackery Binx, the black cat from the 1993 film) is walking around. Cobweb leads the camera to a crate on a shelf. The crate is mysteriously labeled with “2567” and “BF #2 Candle.”
“BF #2 Candle” is pretty easy to deduce — it seems that Gilbert has made more than one Black Flame candle, suggesting that despite the emotional (and thought to be permanent) ending of the sequel, the Sanderson sisters could potentially return again if this second candle is found and lit according to the stipulations of the curse. However, the “2567” is a bit more ambiguous. It could be a year, though it seems to be way too far in the future for that to be realistic. Maybe it’s not meant to be a complete number. As pointed out by Elite Daily, 02567 is a postal code in Massachusetts. Any other theories, so far, remain to be seen — but with the possibility of a Hocus Pocus 3 after the 29-year break in between the first two films, it’s sure to have fans buzzing with ideas.
Hocus Pocus 2 is available to stream now on Disney+.