Hocus Pocus 2 has arrived on Disney+, and viewers have been quick to point out similarities between Gilbert’s black cat, Cobweb, and Thackery Binx, prompting whether it is Thackery after all. With many of the original Hocus Pocus actors returning to reprise their characters, plenty of people have wondered if Sean Murray’s Binx will be one of them. Even after seeing the film, audiences are still wondering whether Cobweb is actually Binx thanks to the movie’s post-credit scene.
In the original film, Thackery Binx is cursed and turned into a cat in 1693 by the Sanderson sisters when trying to save his younger sister Emily. He then spends the next 300 years as an immortal talking cat trying his best to ensure the witches never come back. Eventually, the Sanderson sisters are awakened, and he helps the film’s protagonists defeat the witches, resulting in his soul finally being freed.
However, Binx is not secretly Gilbert’s pet black cat, Cobweb, despite people’s desire to see him return for the sequel. While Cobweb is another canny black cat, he is just a very clever kitty. At the end of the original Hocus Pocus, Binx finally finds peace and his spirit reunites with his sister Emily in the afterlife. The end of the original movie wrapped their story up perfectly, thus making it unfair and impossible to have a Binx and Emily cameo in Hocus Pocus 2. Binx doesn’t return for the sequel because it doesn’t make sense for his character to return after the first film’s events, and it doesn’t fit the Hocus Pocus 2 storyline. The nod to Binx with Cobweb is a nice one, but nothing more should be read into it.
Why Thackery Binx Doesn’t Return In Hocus Pocus 2
Binx is introduced in the opening scene of Hocus Pocus, and as a result, he and his story are what ground the entire film. The audience watches his entire story play out from its beginning to its bittersweet end. It makes no sense to revisit Binx’s story, but references to this iconic character are welcomed. There are many original Hocus Pocus Easter eggs throughout the sequel, but the ones that reference Binx were included as a nod to “the heart” of the first film, according to Hocus Pocus 2 director Anne Fletcher.
While Binx’s story was the heart of Hocus Pocus, it can be argued that the Sanderson sisters’ story is the heart of Hocus Pocus 2. Much like the original movie, Hocus Pocus 2 opens with a flashback to the 1600s, only this time it follows the story of young Winifred, Sarah, and Mary and their fight to stay together. It wouldn’t have made sense to bring Binx back because he no longer fits into the story. In fact, the same goes for all the original kids who don’t reappear in Hocus Pocus 2. When asked about the potential return of Max, Dani, Allison, and Binx, Fletcher said she decided to avoid it as she couldn’t find a way to include them in the story organically. Binx not returning was for the best.
However, the Hocus Pocus 2 post-credit scene opens up the possibility for a third film. There is a chance Fletcher, or a new director, will find a way to include more of the original cast in a third installment. Either way, Binx not returning for Hocus Pocus 2 was the best choice for both the sequel’s story and for Binx’s character.
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