Hocus Pocus is a children's 1993 fantasy/Halloween-themed film released by Disney, and directed by Kenny Ortega. The movie started life as a script for a special original movie for the Disney Channel, to be produced by one of the smaller studios owned by The Walt Disney Company, but the script caught the eye of Walt Disney Studios who decided that the film was strong enough to carry well-known names and to attract a cinema audience. The movie was released in the United States and Canada in July 1993. It was released in October 1994 across Australia and most of Europe and some Asian countries. The idea to cast Bette Midler was partly inspired by Midler's Golden Globe-nominated performance in a milestone motion picture for the Walt Disney Company on its Touchstone Pictures line, Down and Out in Beverly Hills.

Hocus Pocus initially opened in theaters to abysmal reviews, yet performed reasonably well at the box office. The film became popular on VHS and repeated airings on The Disney Channel and ABC Family (as 13 Nights of Halloween) and is considered a cult film.