It appears Hocus Pocus 3 is slowly but surely moving forward—we just don’t have a release date yet. Sarah Jessica Parker recently commented on the film, suggesting Disney may still greenlight the project.
“No new updates, other than that we’d love to make it,” the Sex and the City star told Andy Cohen on a recent episode of his late-night talk show Watch What Happens Live. “We’ve been in discussions.”
The beloved 1993 original was directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Neil Cuthbert and celebrated horror master Mick Garris (a favorite piece of horror trivia for many). The delightfully funny movie became a cultural touchstone for '90s kids around the globe. It tells the story of three wicked sister witches who target a town full of children—and youth—after being resurrected by an outcast on Halloween night.
The witches were portrayed by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Parker, all of whom reprised their roles in the 2022 sequel, Hocus Pocus 2.
A third film was officially confirmed in 2023 by Sean Bailey, President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production. In an interview with The New York Times, Bailey also announced that director Anne Fletcher and writer Jen D’Angelo would return for the next installment.
That said, progress has clearly been slow. Last year, Midler mentioned she had “heard rumblings” about the project, but nothing concrete so far. “If they’re going to do it, they should do it soon, because time isn’t just marching on,” she said on the QVC+ talk show Busy This Week in July 2024. “Time is racing toward the finish line. Catch us while we’re still here—I mean, really!”
Given that I don’t think anyone wants a Hocus Pocus film without the Sanderson Sisters, Bette makes a very good point.
