It’s been 25 years since Hocus Pocus put a spell on all of us.
Since then, its fans have remained incredibly loyal – even after being promised a sequel to the Halloween flick, and teased with a rumoured remake.
But there’s nothing quite like the original, is there?
We always thought that the iconic film, starring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker, had everything we could have possibly wanted.
Until we found out Leonardo DiCaprio was almost in it, that is.
Director Kenny Ortega revealed last year that the young Titanic star was originally the front runner for the role of Max, the teen who ends up bringing the Sanderson sisters back from the dead.
But, sadly, it wasn’t quite meant to be.
The Hocus Pocus director told Entertainment Weekly:
“The [casting] ladies called me up and they said, ‘We’re sending you an actor today but he’s not available but you’re going to fall in love with him but you can’t have him.’
“I’m like, ‘Why are you teasing me?’
“They were like, ‘You need to see this guy because he’ll inspire you and if nothing else, he’ll help you find the right guy to play Max.’
“And they send me in a young Leonardo DiCaprio, who I completely and absolutely fall in love with.”
He recalled how the actor was the “most sincere”, “most centered” and a “wild child” at the same time – and definitely feeling awkward.
Ortega added:
“He was like, ‘I just feel really bad being here because I’m up for two other movies and I really want them both and I don’t want to lead you on.’
“I was like, ‘That’s okay, I was already warned. What are the movies?’
“One of them was This Boy’s Life and the other one was What’s Eating Gilbert Grape.
“Obviously, he left and incredible things happened for that young man and to this day, but meeting him awakened me to the kind of spirit and fun and sincerity that I was looking for in an actor and when Omri Katz came around, I fell in love again and he was our Max.”
