Fans of the Sanderson Sisters are being treated much sooner than Halloween, with new information revealing that Hocus Pocus 3 is officially in the works at Disney. CNN Entertainment recently did an article where they discussed how, “Disney is set to conjure up another sequel to a beloved film. According to a recently published New York Times profile of Sean Bailey, who is president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, “Hocus Pocus 3” is in development” (Lisa France CNN | June 6th, 2023).
Although no information about a cast or release date has been revealed, our 3 main witches/sisters have luckily expressed their desire to return to the story that has become a pop-culture sensation over the years. The decision for Disney to make Hocus Pocus 3, was likely because of the success that came from second film, Hocus Pocus 2, on the Disney+ streaming service which generated over 2.7 billion streaming minutes, which is the equivalent of the film being seen 26 million times upon the first 3 days of its release to the platform. It’s interesting given that the first film was considered a box office failure, but has become a yearly Halloween tradition where people go out of their way to watch and introduce the movie to their children and new audiences. It goes to show the impact and influence of pop-culture and the sub communities within, given that the second film was a major commercial success for streaming. So it’s understandable why Disney would want to continue the storyline for the witches, as it a great money maker for the brand, and fun way for the fans who love the witches to see them on their screens again with more contemporary elements making story come to life with the nostalgic and newer audiences who also love the Sanderson Bunch.
What Would I Like To See in Hocus Pocus 3?
More of the original cast! Even though Hocus Pocus 2 did include all 3 of the original Sanderson Witches, fans like me who grew up watching and loving the original story would really like to see some of those characters we also grew to love such as Dani, Max, and Alison. Thora Birch as Dani was supposed to make a cameo appearance in the second film according to Insider, so the likelihood for this to actually happen in this new 3rd film could be an even greater possibility. More than anything however, I hope this 3rd film continues to bring that special charm and chemistry we can only experience through our 3 main Sanderson witches portrayed by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy in the new Hocus Pocus 3 movie that is officially in development at Disney.