Posted in: Disney, Movies | Tagged: disney, Hocus Pocus, hocus pocus 3

Bette Midler Offers an Update on the Status of Hocus Pocus 3

One of the stars of the iconic Halloween film Hocus Pocus reveals that a strong script for Hocus Pocus 3 has already been submitted.

Hocus Pocus has become a Halloween staple, especially for people who like their October viewing cozy and family-friendly rather than overtly scary. Every year, it pops up on streaming and cable lineups and floods stores with Sanderson-sister merch, from Black Flame Candles to spellbook signs. More recently, the sequel's streaming run only boosted that momentum. Upon release, Hocus Pocus 2 set a Nielsen record on Disney+, logging more than 2.7 billion minutes viewed in its debut week, which helped turn a '90s cult favorite into a modern franchise with real pull.

Despite the fact that the second film didn't exactly connect (with critics or audiences) to the same extent as the original, its general success kept the conversation going about where the story heads next. And now, there's finally some progress being made.

Bette Midler on Hocus Pocus 3

Bette Midler offered an update on Watch What Happens Live, telling fans there is currently a script on the table. In her words, "They sent a script and a lot of it was brilliant. So, I got very excited, and now we're trying to figure out what it is and how it's going and where it's going to be and how much it's going to cost." Fortunately, Disney previously confirmed a third film was in development, so Midler's note sounds like genuine traction and not an empty tease about what could happen.

A quick refresher on Hocus Pocus 2: The movie opens with a peek at the sisters' origin in 17th-century Salem, then jumps to the present day, where teens Becca and Izzy accidentally light a new Black Flame Candle and resurrect Winifred, Sarah, and Mary. The modern kids scramble to stop the witches from casting Magicae Maxima, a spell that would grant ultimate power at a steep personal cost. Familiar faces return, a few new characters step in, and the story closes on a softer note that hints at different paths for the sisters and the teens who replaced Max and Dani as the franchise's latest anchors.

Even if there's no timeline in place yet, between consistent streaming demand, yearly prominence, and merchandise that refuses to fade, it's only a matter of time before it finally kicks off. For now, Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 are available to stream via Disney+.

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