It's official: Hocus Pocus 3 is happening.
Speaking with The New York Times, Walt Disney Pictures President Sean Bailey confirmed that Hocus Pocus 3 was in development at Disney. No further details regarding the prequel -- such as directors, writers, or casting -- were revealed by Bailey at the time.
Hocus Pocus 3 will come after the release of Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+ in 2022, which saw the return of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson Sisters -- Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson, respectively. In September 2022, Midler addressed the possibility of a third Hocus Pocus film, saying she wasn't sure if another installment in the franchise would make sense.
"If there was a third one, of course I'd sign on, but I don't know how," she said at the time. "I can't imagine what the story would be, but I love Winifred, Sarah, Mary, and our relationship. It's good for women. We stick together through hell and high water, but we do cause mayhem, and not many women cause that much mayhem!"
Midler added that, while the prospect of a third Hocus Pocus remained unclear, she was grateful to return for the sequel after 30 years away. "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."
The Minds Behind Hocus Pocus 2
Hocus Pocus 2 was directed by Anne Fletcher with a script from Jen D'Angelo (Workaholics) and released on Disney+ on Sept. 30, 2022. Adam Shankman, who directed the original 1993 Hocus Pocus, did not return in a directorial capacity for the sequel. However, he assisted the film as an executive producer. Along with returning cast members such as Doug Jones, Midler, Parker and Najimy, Hocus Pocus 2 featured newcomers Whitney Peak (Becca), Lilia Buckingham (Cassie), Belissa Escobedo (Izzy), with Hannah Waddingham, Tony Hale, Sam Richardson, Juju Brener, Froy Gutierrez Taylor Paige Henderson and Nina Kitchen.
Originally released in 1993, Hocus Pocus follows disgruntled, skeptical teenager Max (Omri Kratz) and his little sister Dani (Thora Birch), who move from Los Angeles, CA to Salem, MA right in time for Halloween. However, after Max lights the black flame candle and accidentally awakens the evil Sanderson sisters 300 years after they were hanged, they must fight to survive the night and stop the witches from stealing the youth from all the children in Salem. The film quickly became a cult classic and even had a successful theatrical re-release in 2020.
Hocus Pocus 2 is now available to stream on Disney+.
Source: The New York Times