There’s something magical about gathering around with friends and family for a movie night featuring the Halloween classic “Hocus Pocus.” But you know what makes it even better? Having some wickedly fun trivia to test everyone’s knowledge!
I’ve been obsessed with this cult classic since I was a kid, and I still remember trying to memorize all of Winifred Sanderson’s spells to impress my friends at Halloween parties.
Whether you’re planning a Halloween get-together, a themed movie night, or just want to challenge yourself, I’ve conjured up over 100 bewitching trivia questions about the Sanderson sisters and their spellbinding adventures. From easy questions for casual fans to challenging deep cuts that only true devotees will know, this collection has something for everyone!
Easy Hocus Pocus Trivia Questions
Let’s start with some questions that even casual fans should be able to answer. These are perfect warm-up questions to get everyone in the Halloween spirit!
- What are the names of the three Sanderson sisters?
Answer: Winifred (Winnie), Sarah, and Mary - In what year does the movie begin?
Answer: 1693 - In what city does “Hocus Pocus” take place?
Answer: Salem, Massachusetts - What holiday is celebrated during the events of the movie?
Answer: Halloween - What color is Winifred Sanderson’s hair?
Answer: Red/Orange - What does Max light to bring back the Sanderson sisters?
Answer: The Black Flame Candle - What type of animal is Thackery Binx transformed into?
Answer: A black cat - Who is the leader of the Sanderson sisters?
Answer: Winifred (Winnie) - What do the Sanderson sisters ride when their brooms are stolen?
Answer: A mop, a vacuum cleaner, and a broom - What must the witches do before sunrise to remain alive permanently?
Answer: Suck the life force from children - What does Max Dennison reluctantly give to his little sister Dani for Halloween?
Answer: His baseball cap - What does Winifred call her spellbook?
Answer: “Book” or “My Precious Book” - What is the name of Max and Dani’s parents’ Halloween party?
Answer: The Monster Mash - What does Sarah Sanderson use to lure children to the Sanderson cottage?
Answer: Her singing - What does Jay steal from Max at the beginning of the movie?
Answer: His sneakers/shoes - What is the name of the cemetery where much of the action takes place?
Answer: Old Burial Hill Cemetery - What does Winifred use to track the children?
Answer: A magical compass - What nickname does Winifred often call Max?
Answer: “Thou male” or “Max Dennison” - What special requirement must be met for the Black Flame Candle to work?
Answer: It must be lit by a virgin - What are the Sanderson sisters planning to brew in their cauldron?
Answer: A life potion
Looking for more ways to challenge your friends? Check out these philosophical questions that will really make everyone think!
Moderate Difficulty Hocus Pocus Trivia
Now let’s turn up the difficulty a notch with some questions that might require you to have watched the movie a few times to recall!
- What is the full name of the boy who was turned into a cat?
Answer: Thackery Binx - What color potion does Winifred throw at Max in the school?
Answer: Green - What song do the Sanderson sisters perform at the Halloween party?
Answer: “I Put a Spell on You” - What insult does Winifred use when referring to Sarah’s intelligence?
Answer: “Dead man’s toe! Add a dash of pox, and a dead man’s nose!” - What does Billy Butcherson cut off after Winifred brings him back from the dead?
Answer: His mouth stitches - What type of salt does Max use to create a protective circle?
Answer: Salt from the ocean - What item does Allison steal from the museum display case?
Answer: Winifred’s spell book - What does Max dress up as for Halloween?
Answer: He doesn’t dress up (he claims he’s going as a “New Kid”) - What does Dani dress as for Halloween?
Answer: A witch - What California city does Max mention he’s from?
Answer: Los Angeles - What happens to the Sanderson sisters when the sun rises?
Answer: They turn to stone and explode/disintegrate - What year was Max and Dani’s house built according to Allison?
Answer: 1725 - What does Billy call Winifred when he finally speaks?
Answer: “Wench!” - What does Max take from the Sanderson cottage that later helps summon the witches?
Answer: Cigarettes (and a lighter) - What does Dani say she wants to be when she grows up?
Answer: “I want to be Spielberg” - What candy does Dani say she loves when trick-or-treating?
Answer: Chocolate bars - What reason does Binx give for still being around after 300 years?
Answer: He was cursed to live forever with his guilt - What school do Max and Allison attend?
Answer: Jacob Bailey High School - What does Winifred call the fire sprinklers when they go off?
Answer: “The burning rain of death!” - What does Dani call Max throughout the movie?
Answer: “Hollywood”
Need more conversation starters for your Halloween party? Try these random questions to ask a girl that will keep the chat flowing long after the trivia is done!
Challenging Hocus Pocus Trivia
Consider yourself a “Hocus Pocus” expert? These questions will separate the casual fans from the true devotees!
- What is the full, real name of the zombie ex-boyfriend that Winifred raises from the dead?
Answer: William “Billy” Butcherson - What is the name of Emily Binx’s brother who tries to save her?
Answer: Thackery Binx - What does Winifred say is the main ingredient in her life potion?
Answer: “The life force of a child” - What instrument does Max’s father play at the Halloween party?
Answer: Guitar - What is written on the front of Allison’s Halloween costume/shirt?
Answer: “Madonna” - What famous landmark does Sarah think she sees when flying over Salem?
Answer: The Grand Canyon - What does Binx tell Max to do with the spell book after the witches are gone?
Answer: “The book will turn to dust when the last Sanderson dies” - What does Billy give to Dani when he rescues her from the Sanderson sisters?
Answer: His finger (that he cut off to free himself) - What does Winifred call Sarah when she’s flying too high on her broom?
Answer: “Sarah, thou airhead! Come down here!” - What does the motorist dressed as Satan say to the Sanderson sisters?
Answer: “It’s my wife’s idea. I’m the chaperone” - How many years had passed since the Sanderson sisters’ death when Max lights the Black Flame Candle?
Answer: 300 years - What disgusting ingredient does Mary add to the potion that makes her excited?
Answer: Dead man’s toe - What was the original name of the Sanderson Cottage before it became a museum?
Answer: It’s not mentioned, it’s only referred to as the Sanderson cottage - What does the bus driver say when the Sanderson sisters first encounter him?
Answer: “It’s a full moon tonight. Strange things are happening” - What popular board game do the bullies suggest playing with Max?
Answer: They don’t mention a specific board game - What does Max say he hates about Halloween when talking to his dad?
Answer: “Everyone gets a little crazy” - What was Billy Butcherson’s crime according to Winifred?
Answer: He cheated on Winifred with Sarah - What item does Ice use to prop up the caldron before the sisters return?
Answer: A mop - What does Winifred’s spell book give her when she asks for help?
Answer: A recipe for a potion (Life Potion) - What is the inscription on Billy Butcherson’s tombstone?
Answer: “William ‘Billy’ Butcherson, Lost Soul, 1622-1693”
Want to ask even more deep questions after your trivia night? Try these deep questions to ask a girl that will keep the conversation going all night!
Hocus Pocus 2 Trivia Questions
For fans who have also watched the sequel, here are some questions about “Hocus Pocus 2” to test your knowledge of the Sanderson sisters’ return!
- In what year was “Hocus Pocus 2” released?
Answer: 2022 - How are the Sanderson sisters brought back in “Hocus Pocus 2”?
Answer: Through the Black Flame Candle lit by Becca during a birthday ritual - What is the name of the magic shop in “Hocus Pocus 2”?
Answer: The Olde Salem Magic Shoppe - Who runs the magic shop in “Hocus Pocus 2”?
Answer: Gilbert - What are the names of the three teenage girls in “Hocus Pocus 2”?
Answer: Becca, Izzy, and Cassie - What special occasion is Becca celebrating when she lights the Black Flame Candle?
Answer: Her 16th birthday - What modern convenience amazes the Sanderson sisters in the sequel?
Answer: Automatic doors (at Walgreens) - What costume does the mayor wear at the Halloween festival?
Answer: Witch costume (resembling Winifred) - Who is revealed to be a descendant of the Witch Mother who gave young Winifred her book?
Answer: Becca - What happens to the Book of Spells at the end of “Hocus Pocus 2”?
Answer: It stays with Becca and her friends - What does Winifred ultimately choose in the end of the sequel?
Answer: To be with her sisters rather than live forever - What special powers does Becca discover she has?
Answer: Witch powers/abilities - What modern beverage do the Sanderson sisters try and enjoy?
Answer: Jamba Juice - What modern technology do the sisters use to fly when they don’t have brooms?
Answer: Roombas - Who originally gave Winifred her spell book?
Answer: The Witch Mother/Hannah Waddingham’s character - What is the name of Cassie’s father, who is the mayor of Salem?
Answer: Mayor Traske - What does Mary Sanderson drink thinking it’s a potion?
Answer: Moisturizing face cream - What song do the Sanderson sisters perform at the Halloween festival?
Answer: “The Witches Are Back” and “One Way or Another” - What special ritual requires the blood of an enemy for the completion?
Answer: The Magicae Maxima spell - Who helps return the Sanderson sisters in “Hocus Pocus 2”?
Answer: Gilbert
If you’re looking for even more fun conversation starters, check out these interesting topics to talk about that will keep everyone engaged all night long!
Behind-the-Scenes Trivia
Calling all superfans! Here are some fascinating behind-the-scenes facts about the making of “Hocus Pocus” that might surprise even the most dedicated viewers!
- Which actress was originally considered for the role of Winifred Sanderson before Bette Midler?
Answer: Rosie O’Donnell - Who directed “Hocus Pocus”?
Answer: Kenny Ortega - In what month was the original “Hocus Pocus” film actually shot?
Answer: Summer (primarily July) - What was the original title of the “Hocus Pocus” script?
Answer: “Disney’s Halloween House” - How long did it take to apply Sarah Jessica Parker’s prosthetic makeup?
Answer: About 4-5 hours - Which character was originally written to be much older before the actor was cast?
Answer: Max Dennison - Which of the Sanderson sisters did her own singing in the “I Put a Spell on You” number?
Answer: Bette Midler (Winifred) - What is the name of the set designer who created the Sanderson cottage?
Answer: William Sandell - What was the total budget for “Hocus Pocus”?
Answer: Approximately $28 million - How many cats were used to portray Thackery Binx in his feline form?
Answer: Around 9 different cats - Which famous actor provided the voice for Thackery Binx in cat form?
Answer: Jason Marsden - What was the original release date of “Hocus Pocus”?
Answer: July 16, 1993 - What was unusual about the time of year that Disney chose to release “Hocus Pocus”?
Answer: It was released in summer instead of Halloween season - How did “Hocus Pocus” perform at the box office when it was first released?
Answer: It was considered a box office disappointment - Which actress performed her own stunts on the broomstick?
Answer: Sarah Jessica Parker - What other Disney film was beating “Hocus Pocus” at the box office during its release?
Answer: “The Lion King” - Which famous rock musician has a cameo in “Hocus Pocus” with his wife?
Answer: Gary Marshall and Penny Marshall - How many years passed between the original “Hocus Pocus” and its sequel?
Answer: 29 years - Which cast member from the original film did not return for the sequel?
Answer: Several, including Omri Katz (Max), Thora Birch (Dani), and Vinessa Shaw (Allison) - What helped “Hocus Pocus” become a cult classic despite its initial poor reception?
Answer: Annual television airings during Halloween season on Disney Channel and Freeform
For more fun game night ideas, check out these would you rather questions that make for another great Halloween party activity!
Why Hocus Pocus Trivia is Perfect for Your Next Gathering
Let’s face it – “Hocus Pocus” isn’t just a movie; it’s become a Halloween tradition for many of us! Last year, my sister and I hosted a “Hocus Pocus” watch party, and the trivia game we played afterward was honestly more memorable than the movie itself (and that’s saying something!).
What makes “Hocus Pocus” trivia so special is that it appeals to multiple generations. Parents who watched it in the 90s can compete against their kids who just discovered it, making it perfect for family gatherings. Plus, testing your knowledge about the Sanderson sisters is both entertaining and a great way to appreciate all the little details that make this movie so endlessly rewatchable.
If you’re looking for an activity that brings people together with laughter and friendly competition, movie trivia questions are always a hit at any gathering!
Final Thoughts
Phew! That was quite the magical journey through Salem! Did you manage to answer all the questions correctly, or did the Sanderson sisters put a spell on your memory? Don’t worry if you missed a few—that just means you have a perfect excuse to watch both movies again before Halloween!
I love using these trivia questions at my annual Halloween party. Last year, we divided into teams named after characters from the movie, and the winning team got “spell books” (actually just chocolate-covered notebooks, but they were a hit!).
Whether you’re a longtime fan who saw the original in theaters or someone who just discovered these witchy sisters through the sequel, I hope these questions brought back some fond memories and maybe taught you something new about this beloved Halloween classic.
What was your score? Did any of the answers surprise you? I’d love to know which questions stumped you the most!
Looking for more trivia fun? Check out our 90s movie trivia collection that includes more classics from when “Hocus Pocus” was first released!