‘Hocus Pocus’ Director Reveals an Incredible Secret About the Film and Fans Will Be Stunned

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Ever since Hocus Pocus debuted in 1993, fans all over the world have fallen in love with the original cast. But apparently, the creatives behind the film were considering someone else for the iconic role of Max Dennison.

When director Kenny Ortega spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the film in mid-October, he dropped a shocking revelation about who was in the running to play Max, the teen who accidentally resurrects the Sanderson sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) after 300 years of being in purgatory. It turns out, casting agents for Hocus Pocus expressed high hopes for Leonardo DiCaprio to portray Max amid what Kenny called an "intense casting search."

"[My casting team] called me up and said, 'We're sending someone in, but you can't have him,'" Kenny remembers about Leonardo's potential to star in Hocus Pocus. "They said, 'We want you to know who he is, we want you to meet him. He's agreed to come in to meet you, but he can't do the role. He's being offered a movie with [Robert] De Niro and What's Eating Gilbert Grape.'"

Despite the fact Leonardo's schedule didn't enable him to play Max, he still met with Kenny to discuss the part. As Kenny later recalled, that one interaction led him to see the actor had immense potential to become a breakout star in Hollywood.

"[Leonardo] came in, and he was just amazing — so extraordinary and unique — he came and he was stressed," he shared about the experience. "He said, 'I feel bad that I'm here because I can't do this, because I'm really focused on these other things,' and I said, 'Understandably.' We shared a sandwich together. He was super cool. When he walked out, I called my casting agents and I said, 'You're murdering me, here.'"

Ultimately, fans know that instead of Leonardo, Omri Katz went on to play Max in the 1993 classic and did a phenomenal job. As for Leonardo, he later starred in This Boy's Life and What's Eating Gilbert Grape, which hit the box office the same year as Hocus Pocus.

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