Just in time for the original film’s 30-year anniversary, Disney is developing Hocus Pocus 3. A third film in the beloved franchise starring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker as a trio of Salem witches is currently in the works, interview with Sean Bailey, President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production.
The news of Hocus Pocus 3 comes after the tremendous streaming success of Hocus Pocus 2, released last year, which brought back the central stars 29 years after the release of the original film. Hocus Pocus 2 broke streaming records for the Disney+ platform upon its debut, further demonstrating the enduring popularity of the franchise.
While representatives for Disney and the films’ stars have not provided immediate comments on Hocus Pocus 3, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy expressed their thoughts on the potential continuation of the series in an exclusive interview with EW during the promotion of Hocus Pocus 2.
Bette Midler, who portrays the character Winifred Sanderson, shared her enthusiasm for the franchise, saying, “I’m envious of other actors who have franchises, and I was hoping for a sequel to First Wives Club, but we never got that. After 30 years with no sequel to Hocus Pocus, I’ve always been envious of people who get to do their favorite character more than once. The fact that we got to do this finally, after 30 years of promoting the idea, I’m glad we got to do it. I’d love to have a franchise — especially a character I love playing.”
Sarah Jessica Parker, known for her role as Sarah Sanderson, added, “Kathy had a good idea that the third one should be animated. That would be cool and a smart idea. It’s fun, funny, and could be interesting and innovative, like old-fashioned or new [animation]…. Of course I’d be happy to have a conversation [for a third film], it just depends on what Kathy and Bette want!”
The previous sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, was directed by Anne Fletcher and brought back the iconic trio of witches to haunt a group of modern-day teenage girls. The film ended with an ambiguous note, teasing the possibility of further continuation in the story.
As for the potential story of Hocus Pocus 3, some original cast members have expressed that it doesn’t necessarily need to follow a strict continuity. Omri Katz, who played Max in the original film, shared his thoughts on the matter, stating, “Who’s to say there has to be continuity in terms of the story? You can create any story. If they were to take the book and turn it into a screenplay, it doesn’t have to be the witches coming back, they can just do whatever they want, and people will be stoked to see it regardless.
The witches are 30 years older, so we’ve got to get this done sooner than later. We can’t wait another 30 years. Sorry, it’s the truth! I’m sure Bette does not want to be doing this at age 98.”
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As the details of Hocus Pocus 3 continue to unfold, fans of the franchise can eagerly anticipate the return of the beloved Sanderson Sisters and the mischief they bring. With the success of Hocus Pocus 2 and the passionate support from the original cast, it seems likely that Hocus Pocus 3 will be another magical adventure that captures the hearts of audiences once again.
