Secure your children within the confines of your home, for the Sanderson Sisters have returned. And make no mistake, this isn't mere hocus pocus. E! News confirms that Hocus Pocus 3 is officially in the works, with the trio of witches—portrayed by Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy—ready to wreak havoc once again. Despite the second installment of this spine-tingling series going straight to streaming in 2022, there are hopes for a theatrical release for the third movie.
The news of a third movie first cast a spell on fans when it was announced by Sean Bailey, the former President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, in 2023. However, while the movie's future was uncertain upon his departure from the company, Bette shared a promising update last fall.
"Well, you know, they sent a script. And a lot of it was brilliant," she told Andy Cohen during an October appearance on Watch What Happens Live. "So, I got very excited. And now we're trying to figure out what it is and where it's going to be and how much it's going to cost and all those logistical things."
After all, the 80-year-old had previously expressed her willingness to return as Winifred Sanderson—whom she originated in the 1993 original—as long as the story was worthy of her treachery. "I'd love to have a franchise—especially a character I love playing," the First Wives Club star told Entertainment Weekly in September 2023. "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."
As she put it, "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!" Plus, Sarah revealed that their other weird sister had a spellbinding concept for a third edition. "Kathy had a good idea that the third one should be animated," the Sex and the City alum added to EW. "Of course I'd be happy to have a conversation. It just depends on what Kathy and Bette want!"
While other details about the project remain scarce—including whether sequel stars Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, and Lilia Buckingham will return—Hocus Pocus 3 is sure to make for another night of frolic.
