Freeform is making major changes to its televised Halloween schedule, this year. Rather than featuring its traditional 13 Nights of Halloween, the channel will be dedicating the entire month of October to Halloween programming. That’s 31 days of non-stop, Halloween goodness!
The announcement was made on May 15th at Freeform’s upfront presentation and later, via Freeform’s official 31 Nights of Halloween Twitter account. There is no confirmed schedule, but if previous years are any indication of what to expect, tradition dictates The Addams Family, Sleepy Hollow, and Paranorman will be a few of the titles airing during the first ever, 31 Nights of Halloween.
You can also expect some new additions to Freeform’s fall lineup. According to Elite Daily:
31 Nights of Halloween will also debut the new series Decorating Disney: Halloween, which ‘will reveal all the tricks and treats behind the transformation of the Walt Disney World and Disneyland resorts into the scariest, yet still magical, places on Earth.’
Hocus Pocus Turns 25
Also announced via Twitter is the upcoming Hocus Pocus Extravaganza! The classic Halloween film turns 25, this year, and Freeform seems to have something special up its sleeve to celebrate this seminal film’s milestone anniversary.
Released in 1993, the Disney film, Hocus Pocus, tells the story of the Sanderson sisters; three witches from Salem, Massachusetts, who are hung during the witch trials and can only be resurrected when a virgin lights the magical, black flame candle. He does and some silly and wonderful stuff goes down.
Hocus Pocus stars Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker as the three witches. The film was written by horror icon Mick Garris and in spite of a less than stellar initial critical and public reception, has gone on to become a beloved Halloween favorite.
In a number of interviews, Midler has cited Hocus Pocus as being one of her favorite films to make. In a 2013 interview with Katie Couric, Hocus Pocus had just turned 20 years old and Midler had this to say about the film:
I love it! I love it! We had a great time making it! It was me, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker — we just laughed the whole time.
We’re looking forward to the new, extended Halloween celebration via Freeform and think that if anyone can do Hocus Pocus justice, it’s Freeform TV!
Check out the latest episode of Nightmare on Film Street Podcast to hear more about Hocus Pocus! Keep the conversation going on Twitter, Instagram, and in the Horror Fiends of Nightmare on Film StreetFacebook group!
