After months of silence, Hocus Pocus 3 is back in the news thanks to Sarah Jessica Parker. Appearing on Watch What Happens Live, Parker confirmed that while there’s no official movement yet, the original trio is still ready to fly.
“No more developments other than we would like to do it,” Parker said. “We’ve been having some conversations.”
That’s more than we’ve heard in a while. Disney first announced the third film was in development two years ago, following the debut of Hocus Pocus 2, but since then, it’s been near radio silence.
The Sisters Are Waiting and Not Getting Younger
Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker all reprised their iconic roles as the Sanderson sisters in the 2022 sequel, which saw them resurrected once again for Halloween hijinks. The follow-up may have been 29 years in the making, but it still managed to stir up interest among longtime fans.
A screenshot from the trailer to Hocus Pocus 2 – YouTube, Disney
Despite mixed reviews, Hocus Pocus 2 made a strong debut on streaming. According to Deadline, the Nielsen ratings showed that the film logged 2.7 billion minutes watched in its opening weekend and claimed the top spot across all platforms that week. Disney also announced it was the most-watched original Disney+ movie over its first three days, based on internal metrics shown in Deadline’s report.
That said, the “record-breaking” label comes with qualifiers. The record applied only to original Disney+ films, excluding major theatrical titles and legacy properties like Frozen 2 or Encanto. And while the launch numbers were impressive, the film didn’t generate much staying power. Reactions were mixed, and it largely vanished from cultural conversation within weeks.
Still in the Story Phase
As of last year, Hocus Pocus 3 is still technically in development, but very early. Following the WGA strike, screenwriter Jen D’Angelo confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that the creative team was “still in the story phase.”
“We’ve been working on some ideas. It’s been fun to dive back into that world and we have so many directions in which to go,” D’Angelo said. “We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s mother witch.”
A screenshot from the trailer to Hocus Pocus 2 – YouTube, Disney
She added that the team was exploring a wide range of story possibilities and expressed hope they could “take these characters on a bunch of fun adventures.” Director Anne Fletcher, who helmed Hocus Pocus 2, is expected to return.
Audiences and Critics Were Underwhelmed by Hocus Pocus 2
While Hocus Pocus 2 conjured up impressive streaming numbers for Disney+, its critical reception told a different story. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an abysmal 47% audience score, with many reviewers calling it a pale imitation of the original. Metacritic echoed that sentiment with a middling score of 56, signaling average-at-best reactions from the press.
Some outlets praised the cast’s return, but few were truly spellbound by the sequel’s execution.
A screenshot from the trailer to Hocus Pocus 2 – YouTube, Disney
READ: Sue Storm Becomes Leader of the Fantastic Four in the Comics Ahead of Film’s Release
The Guardian gave the film two stars out of four, describing it as “a disappointingly flat follow‑up that tries too hard to soften the villains.” Rather than capturing the edgy camp of the 1993 original, critics said the sequel leaned heavily on nostalgia, losing its bite in the process. Empire called it “cutesy, not campy,” noting that while longtime fans might enjoy seeing the Sanderson sisters again, the film lacked the boldness and originality that made the first one a cult classic.
Even positive reviews were measured. RogerEbert.com’s Nell Minow gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars, applauding its appeal to both younger audiences and older millennials. But others weren’t so generous.
Vanity Fair criticized the film’s sanitized tone and safe storytelling, suggesting that in its effort to be more inclusive and family-friendly, Hocus Pocus 2 lost the quirky menace that made the Sandersons memorable.
In the end, the critical consensus seemed to align with the audience’s short attention span: while the film stirred up a moment of Halloween nostalgia, it vanished from cultural relevance just as quickly as it arrived.
Why the Delay?
With the cast, writer, and director seemingly aligned, the main question becomes: why hasn’t Disney moved forward?
The answer likely lies in broader changes at the studio. Over the past two years, Disney has undergone internal restructuring, layoffs, and a reassessment of its streaming strategy. Even well-performing IPs are facing delays as the company tightens budgets and shifts toward fewer, more focused releases. That could explain why Hocus Pocus 3, despite having clear momentum, remains stuck in limbo.
A screenshot from the trailer to Hocus Pocus 2 – YouTube, Disney
And while the Sanderson sisters still have fans, Disney may be weighing whether nostalgia alone can carry a third film, especially after the sequel’s relatively quiet legacy.
Still, the interest is there. Parker says the cast wants to return. Najimy and Midler are game. The creative team is brainstorming. The only missing ingredient is a greenlight, and the clock is ticking. If Disney wants lightning to strike thrice, they may want to act before the broomsticks gather dust.
Do you think we’ll ever see Hocus Pocus 3? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
UP NEXT: Protesters Disrupt Vice President Vance and Family’s Disneyland Vacation; Disney Ramps Up Security
How about we just keep letting it brew until it’s just completely evaporated, sound good?
66% of the witches were disgusting thirty years ago. I’m sure they’ve improved in the three decades since. No need for the makeup dept. so that’s a win for the budget!