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
HB Studio Lemmon, Kenneth Lonergan, Laurence Luckinbill, Richard Lynch, Anne Meara, Marsha Mason, Bette Midler, Liza Minnelli, Cynthia Nixon, Dan (Dan-O) O'Connor, Al Pacino, Geraldine Page, Sarah Jessica Parker, Charles Nelson Reilly, Christopher Reeve, Jason Robards, Herbert Ross, Jaime Sánchez , Kyra Sedgwick, Ray Sharkey, Maureen Stapleton, Jon Stewart, Jerry Stiller, Barbra Streisand, Carol Ann Susi, Sigourney Weaver, David Serero, Fred Ward and Gene Wilder. HB Studio The HB Studio (Herbert Berghof Studio) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization offering professional training in the performing arts through classes, workshops, free lectures, theater productions, theater rentals, a theater artist residency program, as well as