Warning: This article contains spoilers for Hocus Pocus 2.
Just as you would expect, Disney’s brand-new belated sequel Hocus Pocus 2 expands on our understanding of the Sanderson sisters by exploring their backstory in its opening scene, somewhat redeeming them from unrepentant villains to anti-heroes once we discover they only turned to witchcraft after they were driven out of Salem by the puritanical townsfolk after the death of their father, with Hannah Waddingham’s mysterious Witch Mother introducing them to the occult.
While this is all new information it doesn’t actually conflict with what little we learned about the lives of Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary (Kathy Najimy) in 1993’s Hocus Pocus. As the follow-up continues, however, it does offer a major retcon to another legacy character’s origins which makes them even more of a victim of the witches than they were before. Namely, “good zombie” Billy Butcherson (Doug Jones).
How does Hocus Pocus 2 change Billy Butcherson’s backstory?
Billy Butcherson was introduced in the original Hocus Pocus when Winifred reanimated his corpse in his grave and ordered him to chase down Max, Dani, and Allison. Billy was himself a famous figure in local lore as he was known as a lover of Winifred who she punished by sewing his lips shut after she found out he had cheated on her with her sister, Sarah.
In the first film, Billy is ultimately revealed as a good guy, though, when he is able to undo his mouth stitches and he ends up helping the kids, before eventually returning to his grave after the Sandersons’ demise. In Hocus Pocus 2, Billy returns when Gilbert is ordered to fetch Billy’s head as part of the ingredients Winifred needs to complete the powerful Magicae Maxima spell.
It turns out that Billy has been (semi)-alive and chilling in his coffin for the past 30 years, as the reanimation spell was never undone. He and Gilbert strike up an unexpected friendship as they hunt down the spell’s ingredients (which Billy believes will kill the witches, not help them). Over the course of their bromance, the zombie tells Gilbert about the truth of his romantic history with the Sandersons.
As teased in the sequel’s opening, when we briefly meet a young Billy (Austin J. Ryan), he explains that he was never Winnie’s lover and they only shared one kiss when they were teens. While he did apparently sleep with Sarah one time, Billy was never in a relationship with her older sister and so is not the cheating boyfriend that he has gone down as in the history of Salem.
After the final defeat of the Sandersons (well, we think), Billy’s spirit is at last allowed to move on to the great hereafter, with Gilbert promising him that he will restore his reputation by telling the townsfolk the truth about him. Although, to be honest, Billy’s not a total innocent as he was still dumb enough to be seduced by Sarah.
Hocus Pocus 2 is available to stream now on Disney Plus.