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
Sarah Jessica Parker made a modest US$39 million in the US, but became a cult film due to strong DVD sales and large television following. In 1993, she also starred as a police diver opposite Bruce Willis in the film "Striking Distance", and in 1994, she appeared opposite Johnny Depp in the critically acclaimed biographical drama "Ed Wood" as the titular character's girlfriend, Dolores Fuller. She headlined the romantic comedy "Miami Rhapsody" (1995), playing woman who has some misgivings about her fiancée and starred in the off-Broadway play "Sylvia", alongside future husband Matthew Broderick. In 1996, she appeared in another Tim Burton-directed movie,