Bette Midler Is So Not Here For The 'Hocus Pocus' Remake & Now We Don't Know How To Feel

One person who definitely will not be watching the new Hocus Pocus remake that Disney is brewing up is the star of the original movie. Bette Midler is making her thoughts on the newly announced remake perfectly clear, and she's definitely not a fan. When People asked Midler about the Hocus Pocus remake in development at Disney Channel, she said the new movie is going to be cheap and they are going to have a hard time finding someone who can play her role of Winifred Sanderson. So, yeah... Bette Midler is firing shots at the Hocus Pocus remake — but like, she's really not wrong, though.

Last month, Disney Channel confirmed that it was developing a remake of Hocus Pocus, with none of the original cast attached to return (not yet, at least). The announcement was met with more concern than excitement, as fans worried a remake with a whole new cast would disgrace the original Hocus Pocus, which became a surprise cult classic for the millennial generation after its release in 1993 thanks to TV airings every Halloween. And now Bette Midler is adding her voice, and roasting the reboot hard:

I know it’s cheap. It’s going to be cheap... I’m not sure what they’re going to do with my character. My character is very, very broad and I don’t know who they’re going to find to play that.

Bette Midler played Winifred Sanderson in the original movie, who was the maniacally campy leader of the three Sanderson sister witches. And honestly, her question over who Disney Channel is going to get to replace her (if the new movie does include Winifred at all, that is) does make a lot of sense. I mean, most of the people who have seen Hocus Pocus have seen it multiple times, and it's pretty much impossible to imagine anyone but Bette Midler with those ridiculous buck teeth and that giant orange hair.

If you couldn't already tell from that quote, Bette Midler is not interested in joining the remake — she told People that there's no amount of money that could get her to sign on for the reboot. Midler has also decidedly shut down remake and sequel rumors multiple times in the past, so it sounds like she just wants the original Hocus Pocus to continue to stand alone. Unfortunately for her, it sounds like this remake is definitely happening.

We still don't know much about the remake, since no cast or plot details have been revealed. The only thing we do know is that it is being written by Scarlett Lacey, best known for writing on E!'s drama The Royals. Though nothing has been confirmed, it sounds like none of the original cast will be reprising their roles, and director Kenny Ortega isn't attached either.

Since this is Disney Channel we're talking about, my best bet on what the Hocus Pocus remake will look like is a 2018-ified version of the 1993 movie's story, with a few tweaks here and there (like, probably cutting down on all the virgin jokes). I'm also a bit fearful that they may recast the Sanderson sisters as trendier teen actors that hit better with the Disney Channel demographic and say they're the daughters of the original trio, similar to what the network did with its recent original franchise Descendants.

So... I guess I'm with Bette Midler on this one: you really can't touch a beloved classic like Hocus Pocus without bringing her back. But obviously I'm still going to watch the remake, if out of nothing more morbid curiosity. Who knows, maybe it will be good?