"Hocus Pocus became a Halloween go-to all the way back in 1993, and now it's tripling down on its success. Disney/Kobal/Shutterstock According to , Hocus Pocus 3 is officially in early development at Disney, with Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, and Sarah Jessica Parker all expected to return. The trio originated the roles of the witchy Sanderson sisters in the original 1993 movie directed by Disney legend Kenny Ortega, and it quickly became a go-to Halloween movie (and Halloween costume) for decades after."
"In 2022, Hocus Pocus caught Disney's terminal case of "legacy-quel" fever, and Hocus Pocus 2 revived the story after 29 years. The movie was a success, and now the third movie will reportedly take things a step further with a theatrical release, while Hocus Pocus 2 only had a streaming release on Disney+."
"This isn't actually the first time we've heard of plans to make Hocus Pocus a trilogy. Back in 2023, Sean Bailey, President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, announced plans for a third movie, but no updates were released after that, and Bailey left the position in 2024, putting the project in limbo. So while this idea may seem out of nowhere, it's actually a long time coming."
Hocus Pocus became a Halloween staple in 1993 and later became a recurring holiday tradition. Disney has used seasonal branding to keep audiences returning, especially for Halloween content on Disney+. Hocus Pocus 2 revived the franchise in 2022 after 29 years and succeeded with a Disney+ streaming release. Reports now indicate Hocus Pocus 3 is in early development at Disney, with Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, and Sarah Jessica Parker expected to reprise their roles. The third film is expected to move beyond streaming with a theatrical release. Plans for a third movie were previously announced in 2023, but later updates stalled after leadership changes in 2024.
Read at Inverse
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