Hocus Pocus (1993 film) made to the script to make the film more comedic and made two of its young protagonists into teenagers; however, production was stalled several times until 1992, when Bette Midler expressed interest in the script and the project immediately went forward. Midler, who plays the central antagonist of the film (originally written for Cloris Leachman), is quoted as saying that "Hocus Pocus" "was the most fun I'd had in my career up to that point". Leonardo DiCaprio was originally offered the lead role of Max, but declined it in order to pursue "What's Eating Gilbert Grape". Principal photography began on
Outrageous Fortune (film) extended through the original LaserDisc and VHS release of the title, with discs shipped to retailers in the west featuring Shelley Long and retailers on the east receiving discs featuring Bette Midler. Suzanne Somers has said that Michael Eisner offered her a three-movie deal with Disney which included "Outrageous Fortune", but she turned it down. She would have played Bette Midler's part. The film received mixed reviews from critics. It currently holds a 50% rating on review aggregator "Rotten Tomatoes", based on 20 reviews, indicating a lukewarm response. For her performance, Midler received a Golden Globe nomination. "Outrageous Fortune" was