We finally have an exciting update for fans of the world of Hocus Pocus as star Bette Midler gives an update of the state of the third movie and if it will actually happen.
Last I reported, we knew that Disney was keen to get at least one more movie made in the franchise with Sean Bailey, the man in charge of Disney’s animated-live-action remakes, confirming a third movie was happening, that Hocus Pocus 2’s Anne Fletcher and Jen D’Angelo will be writing and directing respectively again, and that Hannah Waddington’s Mother Witch would play a big role in the story, but that was all in summer 2023 and there’s been very little since.
Until now.
Hannah Waddington’s Mother Witch to play big role in Hocus Pocus 3 teases writer
On a recent episode of Watch What Happens Live, Midler revealed that the script is pretty much done and now they move into the small details: “They sent a script, and a lot of it was brilliant,” she said.
“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.”
Coming out in 1993, the original Hocus Pocus was a fun Halloween movie about three witches who were accidentally brought back to life on modern Salem; it’s a silly but very fun adventure and was a Halloween staple in a lot of people’s lives, my own family’s included, so thirty years after, when we finally got the Sanderson sisters, played by Midler alongside Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy [all expected to return for the third outing], back, it was very welcome and, in truth, the movie was fun, if not a patch on the first (is it ever?) and it looked like the franchise was in very good shape as the sequel was a massive hit for Disney.
Hocus Pocus 3 in development at Disney, writer and director attached
But that was three years ago and nothing much had happened, with Midler being realistic about the fact that the cast are not exactly in their prime anymore (Midler is 79!), declaring “I think if they’re gonna, they oughta, because time is not just marching, time is barrel-assing to the finish line. Get us while we’re still breathing, I mean, God!”
But now, finally, the script is done, and it seems the Hocus Pocus trilogy might just be a thing. Some day.
In related news, one of the things missing in Hocus Pocus 2, was the leads from the first movie, Max, played by Omri Katz, and his sister, Dani, played by Thora Birch and Max’s love interest Allison, played by Vanessa Shaw, right, and fans, myself included, hoped that should a third movie happen, we’d get to find out what happened Max and Dani, having saved the children of Salem and defeated the evil witches.
Having the events of Hocus Pocus 2 play out, it would make sense that Max and Dani might find themselves returning to Salem to face the Sanderson sisters once more.
WATCH: The Sanderson sisters are back in Hocus Pocus: The Brew animated shorts
Now Birch, who also starred in movies such as the brilliant Ghost World and American Beauty, is hinting that ‘they’ [Disney] have discussed a return with her and she’s definitely up for it, saying: “Yeah, I’d like to know what they land on for how Dani wound up. I’m super open to the idea,” she said, adding: “They love talking about this stuff, so we’ll see.”
Could we see Birch, Katz and Shaw return? If they’re talking to Birch, I would have to imagine they’re also talking to the others and I think it could be a lot of fun to see the brother and sister meet their (im)mortal enemies once more on screen.
Thought? I know you have them and I wanna hear ’em all!
This Halloween Season, some legends never die. Hocus Pocus 2, an Original movie event, streaming September 30 on Disney Plus.
Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reunite for the highly anticipated Disney+ Original Movie “Hocus Pocus 2.” The live-action, long-awaited sequel to the perennial Halloween classic, which brings back the delightfully wicked Sanderson sisters for more comedic mayhem, will debut on Disney+ on September 30.
It’s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallow’s Eve. “Hocus Pocus 2” also stars Doug Jones (“The Shape of Water”), Whitney Peak (“Gossip Girl”), Lilia Buckingham (“Dirt”), Belisa Escobedo (“American Horror Stories”), Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”), Tony Hale (“Veep”), Sam Richardson (“The Tomorrow War,” “Good Boys”), Juju Brener (“Vanquish”), Froy Gutierrez (“Teen Wolf”), Taylor Paige Henderson and Nina Kitchen. The film is directed by Anne Fletcher (“Dumplin,’” “The Proposal”), written by Jen D’Angelo (“Happy Together,” “Workaholics”) and produced by Lynn Harris (“King Richard,” “The Shallows”), with Adam Shankman (“Disenchanted,” “Hairspray”), Ralph Winter (“Hocus Pocus,” “X-Men” franchise) and David Kirschner (“Hocus Pocus,” “Chucky”) serving as executive producers.
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Marc
Marc is a self-confessed nerd. Ever since seeing Star Wars for the first time around 1979 he’s been an unapologetic fan of the Wars and still believes, with Clone Wars and now Underworld, we are yet to see the best Star Wars. He’s a dad of two who now doesn’t have the time (or money) to collect the amount of toys, comics, movies and books he once did, much to the relief of his long-suffering wife. In the real world he’s a graphic designer. He started Following the Nerd because he was tired of searching a million sites every day for all the best news that he loves and decided to create one place where you can go to get the whole lot. Secretly he longs to be sitting in the cockpit of his YT-1300 Corellian Transport ship with his co-pilot Chewie, roaming the universe, waiting for his next big adventure, but feels just at home watching cartoons with his kids….
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