Hocus Pocus 2 Writer Offers Update on New Sequel, Hints on Expanding on This Character

Last year’s Hocus Pocus 2 brought back the Sanderson sisters from the original 1993 movie, but it also introduced all-new characters, with writer of that sequel Jen D’Angelo hinting that the upcoming Hocus Pocus 3 could spend time exploring Hannah Waddingham’s witch character. The writer admitted that the project was still in its early stages, likely being delayed significantly due to this year’s writers’ strike, while also confirming that the third film won’t only focus on new characters, as the hope is that the Sanderson sisters could still appear. There’s no current release date for Hocus Pocus 3 and there has been no confirmation that Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, or Kathy Najimy could reprise their iconic roles.

“We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it. We’ve been working on some ideas, and it’s been fun to dive back into that world and we have so many directions in which to go and so many new characters to explore,” D’Angelo confirmed to Entertainment Weekly. “We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s mother witch.”

Hocus Pocus 2 opened with a flashback to young versions of the Sanderson sisters being taunted and harassed by their community, resulting in them running into the woods. It was there that they encountered Waddingham’s character, who introduced them to the ways of witchcraft. Waddingham’s character turned into a bird, with the final shot of the film including a tease of this bird, implying that the character was still occupying the town of Salem, Massachusetts.

D’Angelo also confirmed that Waddingham’s character was the “mother” referred to in the original Hocus Pocus, admitting, “I believe that she’s that mother, that she is the scorpion pie mother, and that they had a much more significant relationship with her than we’ve yet to see … But, maybe we will see.”

She added that “anything’s on the table” for the third film and that “we for sure want to see [the Sanderson sisters] again as adults.”

“I’m hoping that we are able to explore every aspect of these stories and take these characters on a bunch of fun adventures. 3 is still very much in the early stages, we don’t really know what it is, but we’re exploring all options and I think everybody is so delighted by the reaction that Hocus Pocus 2 got, and we’re excited to continue those stories,” D’Angelo detailed. “I want to do right by the fans and I definitely want to keep in mind what they want to see, but, at the same time, I feel like movies can go slightly awry when they’re only catering to the fans and trying to check off a list, like, ‘We got this and this, so the fans should be happy.’” 

D’Angelo continued, “In reality, you want to make sure that the movie is solid on its own, and the fan service moments are baked into the story and that they’re satisfying and not just tacked on.”

Stay tuned for updates on Hocus Pocus 3.

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