Following the direct-to-Disney+ sequel to the 1993 classic, a Hocus Pocus 3 is being developed.
Hocus Pocus 2 turned back the clock nearly 30 years, with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and Doug Jones all returning to their roles from the original.
The sequel, released on September 30, 2022, was a massive streaming success on Disney+, becoming the company's most-watched film on the streamer, per Deadline.
In addition, it set a Nielsen streaming record, drawing more than 2.7 billion minutes of viewing from September 26 to October 2, 2022.
When Will Hocus Pocus 3 Release?
Following the grand success of Hocus Pocus 2, whispers immediately began to spread that a third film could be in the works.
During an interview with the New York Times, Walt Disney Pictures President Sean Bailey confirmed that Hocus Pocus 3 is now in development at Disney.
In addition, director Anne Fletcher and writer Jen D’Angelo will be returning for the tricky threequel, according to The Wrap.
As for how it will be released, the expectation is that the third film to once again stream directly on Disney+ considering Hocus Pocus 2's non-theatrical success.
Based on the goal of releasing around the Halloween season, a 2024 release is unlikely. This would put Hocus Pocus 3's approximate release around September or October 2025.
Hocus Pocus 3 Cast: Who Could Return?
Returning from Hocus Pocus 2, Kathy Najimy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Belissa Escobedo, and Lilia Buckingham are all interested in starring in Hocus Pocus 3.
In addition, actors from the original film, Omri Katz, Vinessa Shaw, and Jason Marsden, are also interested in returning for a third movie.
Midler told Entertainment Weekly, "Of course I'd sign on" to do Hocus Pocus 3:
"If there was a third one, of course I'd sign on, but I don't know how. 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!"
Also speaking with ET, Omri Katz (who played Max Dennison) mentioned the 2018 novelization Hocus Pocus and the All-New Sequel which focused on Max and his daughter.
Katz said, "You can create any story" even something different than the narrative in Hocus Pocus 2, adding, "It doesn't have to be the witches coming back, they can just do whatever they want:"
"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."
What Will Happen in Hocus Pocus 3?
Before the events of Hocus Pocus 3, here's a quick recap of what happened in the spooky sequel.
In 1653 Salem, Winifred Sanderson defies the church to gain magical powers with her sisters, Mary and Sarah, from the Mother Witch.
In 2022, two Salem teenagers, Becca and Izzy, mistakenly resurrect the Sanderson sisters with a Black Flame Candle.
The sisters plot to seek revenge on modern Salem, but Becca, Izzy, and Cassie, the mayor's daughter, team up and discover their own magic abilities.
Winifred gains immense power but loses her sisters and fades away. The girls form a coven, undo Winifred's spells, and continue practicing magic, suggesting the start of a new magical legacy.
Harkening in a new chapter of Hocus Pocus may be the focus of the threequel, but don't count out the return of the Sanderson sisters.
In addition, after the film's credits, the scene shifts to Gilbert's Olde Salem Magic Shoppe, previously owned by the Sanderson Sisters and now a tourist attraction in Salem. Gilbert's cat, Cobweb, climbs onto a shelf next to a box labeled "B.F. CANDLE #2."
The story suggests the possibility of the Sanderson Sisters' resurrection. Winifred's quest for ultimate power led to the demise of her sisters, but a follow-up spell by a new coven sent her to the afterlife, reuniting her with them in hell, where they happily sing a witchy version of Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" during the credits sequence.
Hocus Pocus 2 is now available to stream on Disney+.
