‘Hocus Pocus 3’ in the Works at Disney

Another Hocus Pocus is in the works.

Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, confirmed in an interview with The New York Times that Hocus Pocus 3 is happening.

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The Hollywood Reporter has learned that Anne Fletcher and Jen D’Angelo will be returning to direct and write, respectively, after collaborating on Hocus Pocus 2.

It comes as little surprise given the success of last year’s sequel, which set a record for an opening weekend by a movie on a streamer with 2.7 billion minutes viewed. Overall, the film landed at No. 5 on the most-streamed movies of 2022 with a total of 5.7 billion minutes viewed.

While the first film was not a box office hit, it became a cult hit over the years thanks to airings on basic cable.

The third film would follow Kenny Ortega’s 1993 original and last year’s Fletcher-directed sequel, both of which starred Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters — Winifred, Sarah and Mary, respectively — a trio of witches who suck the life force out of children in an effort to stay young.

At the Hocus Pocus 2 premiere last year, executive producer Adam Shankman hinted to The Hollywood Reporter that there were more stories to be told. That film introduced teen Becca (Whitney Peak), who turns out to be a witch herself.

Fletcher “handled that [storyline] really, really beautifully,” Shankman said of Becca’s discovery. “We went back and forth on how that was going to work, if it was going to work, forever, and Anne was just like, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’ And I think it’s great. And it creates a lot of excitement about potential spinoffs.”

It’s unclear if there have been any discussions with Midler, Parker and Najimy. For her part, Midler told Entertainment Weekly last year that she’d be game to revisit her role.

“I’d love to have a franchise — especially a character I love playing,” she said. “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.”

Updated 11:57 a.m. June 7: Added news that Fletcher and D’Angelo will be returning.

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