Disney‘s live-action slate suddenly got a lot more interesting in 2025 thanks to the major success of Lilo & Stitch, and alongside next summer’s Moana remake, there’s a long list of titles that have reportedly been discussed for live-action treatment. And even away from the remake strategy, Disney are expanding on established IPs, with the likes of Freakier Friday, Tron: ARES, and The Roses (a remake of The War Of The Roses). They also have a third movie in a beloved Halloween franchise in development, but the trail has gone strangely cold.
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Over 2 years ago, Disney announced that they were working on Hocus Pocus 3, and now one of the stars has given a long-awaited update that doesn’t sound great for the movie’s prospects. Sarah Jessica Parker has revealed that while talks are happening behind the scenes about Hocus Pocus 3, nothing is officially in motion yet. The update came during her recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live! with Andy Cohen, where Parker acknowledged ongoing conversations about the long-gestating sequel.
“No more developments other than we would like to do it,” Parker said when asked directly about a third Hocus Pocus movie. “We’ve been having some conversations.” In both Hocus Pocus movies, Parker plays Sarah Sanderson, one of the three witches known as the Sanderson Sisters, together with Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson and Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson.
The Hocus Pocus franchise has been relatively quiet since the release of its second installment in 2022, which marked the first return of the Sanderson sisters in nearly three decades. After the film’s success on Disney+, a third movie was confirmed in mid-2023, but no additional updates had followed until now.
At the end of Hocus Pocus 2, Winifred casts a powerful spell that ultimately causes both Sarah and Mary Sanderson to vanish. Regretful of her spell’s dire consequences, Winifred soon follows them after pleading for a reunion with her sisters. The implication is that the three witches are gone for good, a final send-off that gave emotional weight to the ending. For Parker to now suggest a return, even hypothetically, underlines that Disney intends to bring the Sanderson Sisters back for the threequel somehow.
The Long Road Towards Hocus Pocus 3
While the original Hocus Pocus developed its fanbase over years of television airings and seasonal rewatches, Hocus Pocus 2 was a hit immediately. Released in 2022 directly on Disney+, the sequel broke viewership records for the platform at the time, becoming one of Disney’s most-watched streaming titles in its first week. Reviews were mixed to positive, with critics noting the charm of the returning cast and improvements in pacing compared to the original. However, audiences were far more enthusiastic, praising the film’s balance of nostalgia and updated storytelling. Hocus Pocus 2 also introduced a younger trio of protagonists, hinting at possible ways to continue the series without its legacy characters.
The commercial performance of Hocus Pocus 2 was strong enough for Disney to confirm a third installment in June 2023, with Hocus Pocus 2 director Anne Fletcher and screenwriter Jen D’Angelo expected to return. Unfortunately, momentum stalled almost immediately due to the writers’ and actors’ strikes that shut down most scripted productions in the second half of 2023. Since then, Disney has not announced any production timeline, casting decisions, or release window for the threequel. Still, various cast members have expressed interest in reprising their roles, including Midler and Najimy. While we are still far away from a threequel release, Parker’s latest comments at least assure fans the project hasn’t died, as Hocus Pocus 3 is being actively discussed by its creative team.
Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 are available for streaming on Disney+. Hocus Pocus 3 has no release date or production start confirmed.
Would you want to see Sarah Jessica Parker return in Hocus Pocus 3, even after the ending of the last movie? Let us know in the comments!
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