13 Things You Probably Don't Know About Hocus Pocus

The original script for Hocus Pocus from screenwriter Mick Garris was much, much darker than the movie we all know and love. "What I had written originally was about 12-year-olds," he told Entertainment Weekly. "The kids being younger and in more jeopardy was certainly something more explicitly frightening." He further explained that the movie eventually became more "broadly comedic," adding in scenes like the devil one with Garry and Penny Marshall. Poor Billy Butcherson, however, was always going to lose his head (as if those lips weren't bad enough . . .).

When the movie was in its infancy, it was actually titled Halloween House and had Stephen Spielberg attached as director. "He loved it until he found out that Disney was already involved," Garris added during his EW interview. "At that time, Disney and Amblin were very competitive in the family-film market, so neither of them wanted to be in business with the other."

Our beloved Max Dennison (Omri Katz) could have been played by Leo?! The role for the virgin who lit the candle was initially offered to Leonardo DiCaprio, who turned it down for his role in What's Eating Gilbert Grape.

Was Sarah Sanderson a witch in real life?! Sarah Jessica Parker found out one of her actual ancestors (Esther Elwell) was accused of being a witch during the Salem witch trials after appearing on the show Who Do You Think You Are?. Watch the clip now.

The actor who plays Billy Butcherson, Doug Jones, revealed in a Q&A that the moths in this scene were real.

The film was supposed to be a Disney Channel Original Movie. Hocus Pocus could have potentially been one of the greats alongside Brink!, Zenon, and Johnny Tsunami!

In the famous "I Put a Spell on You" scene, Midler actually pays tribute to her character in Gypsy. During that performance, her character exclaims, "My name is Rose! What's yours?!"

Like kids pushing witches in a pool, witches surrounded by trick-or-treaters, and Mary in the grocery store.

The couple who play Satan and his wife are real-life brother and sister Garry and Penny Marshall!

The story was originally submitted to Muppets Magazine by director David Kirschner. The response was so great that it was turned into a movie. And generations to come will be forever thankful that it was!