Two young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world.
Two young women accidentally bring back the Sanderson Sisters to modern-day Salem and must figure out how to stop the child-hungry witches from wreaking havoc on the world. The world may have been free of Winifred, Mary, and Sarah and the fear they invoked in us all, but what happens when you mess with magic? It messes back.
In Salem, Massachusetts in 1653, Winifred Sanderson has turned 16. Told she must marry John Pritchett, she refuses. She kissed Billy, which is shocking, but will not admit to loving him either. Rev. Traske banishes her from the community for defying the church and tries to take away her younger sisters Mary and Sarah. Winifred manages to rescue her sisters and escapes with them into the woods. There, they meet the Mother Witch who shows them a book of magic which seems to have a personality, and a single eye instead of a face. Winifred gets excited when she reads about one spell which will give her ultimate power, but Mother Witch warns her not to use that spell. Winifred does return to Salem and curse the Reverend, whose house catches on fire.
In 2022, Salem teenagers Becca and Izzy are more interested in the supernatural than their classmates, as the town prepares to celebrate Halloween. The celebration includes recalling the appearance of the Sanderson Sisters 29 years earlier. Becca is turning 16. The girls were friends with Cassie Traske, daughter of the mayor, who is having a party her father doesn't know about. But because Cassie hasn't treated them right and cares more about Mike than the girls, they refuse to go to the party.
Becca and Izzy go to Gilbert's magic shop, in the same house where the Sandersons once lived. There, Gilbert gives them a Black Flame Candle like the one that brought the Sanderson Sisters back years ago. The girls go into the woods and light the candle, which will not go out. Because they are virgins and there is a full moon, the candle brings back the Sanderson Sisters.
The Sanderson Sisters demand items that will make them stay young, and the teens take them to a Walgreens where the witches cause chaos. The teens manage to get away but the Sanderson Sisters are not through. Winifred gets a broom she can fly on, Mary gets a pair of Roombas, and Sarah takes a Swiffer. Back at the magic shop, the teens discover Gilbert knew about the candle from when the sisters appeared before and that he tricked them into conjuring the sisters. The Book from the 17th century is on the shelf and contains the spell Winifred wants to cast.
Seeing a campaign poster with Mayor Traske's picture, the sisters realize that is the descendant of the Reverend, and they vow to take revenge on him. They catch up with the teens and are disappointed at what happened to their old house. They trap the girls in the basement, and then they force Gilbert to come up with all the ingredients they need for their plan.
As the teens try to escape the basement, they call Cassie on a cell phone, but the sisters' curse that has them trapped prevents the call from going through. Cassie only sees that Becca tried to call but cannot see or hear her. The girls realize they have something they can burn to release them from the curse, and when they do, the ladder to upstairs reappears and they escape, joining Cassie at the party.
Mayor Traske is excited about the caramel apples that are part of the town celebration but there is a long line. But when Becca calls him about the party, he has to get out of line for apples to shut down the party.
Meanwhile, Gilbert digs up Billy from his grave. Billy is a zombie who understands what is going on. Any body parts he has can be removed and reattached. Gilbert doesn't tell Billy his head is part of the formula for the witches, but he persuades Billy to help gather the remaining ingredients. When Billy later learns the truth, he explains he was not Winifred's lover, and Gilbert promises to tell his real story from now on.
At the town celebration, a contest for the best-dressed Sanderson Sisters allows the real sisters to pretend they are just part of the celebration. A group of drag queens are among the contestants. The sisters perform a song and are surprised to learn they will not win the contest. After they lose, they put a spell on the townspeople, causing them to dance as a flash mob. Mayor Traske returns and is impressed by the performance. Then the people return to normal and wonder what happened. The mayor is disappointed all the apples are gone.
When the sisters go to Cassie's house, the teens trap them in a circle of salt. Eventually, the Roombas vacuum up the salt and the sisters escape and capture Cassie, intending to use her blood for the ritual. When the other girls go to the woods where the sisters are preparing to cast the power spell, Becca discovers she is a witch.
The girls rescue Cassie and they settle their differences.
Gilbert and Billy bring the other ingredients and Billy's head is removed. The spell is cast but not completed. Becca escapes with the Book and tells it that it does not have to do everything Winifred says. The Book shows them the power spell and the warning that anyone who becomes all powerful will have to give up something. Becca warns the sisters but Mary and Sarah have already started to disappear. When they are entirely gone, Winifred is distraught and the teens realize they have the power to use the Book to reverse the spell. Winifred is willing to give up power to reunite with her sisters.
However, the sisters do not come back. Instead, Winifred disappears, but as she does, she is happy at returning to her sisters. Billy also disappears because with Winifred gone, so is any spell she cast.
The teens decide to continue to practice magic, and they take the Book with them.
At the magic shop, there is another Black Flame Candle.
