BURBANK, CALIFORNIA: The 'Sanderson Sisters' had bewitched the audience by putting an enchanted spell on them that makes them come back to the franchise for more. Months after the release of the second installment of 'Hocus Pocus', Walt Disney Studios President Sean Bailey has confirmed a third film. As reported by Daily Mail, Bailey said in an interview, "Yes, Hocus Pocus 3 is happening."
Even though Bailey has confirmed that a third movie is happening and is in its early development stage, he still has chosen to not present any further details on the production process or the cast. The promising viewership of the second installment has compelled Disney to make a third movie.
Will Sanderson Sisters return in 'Hocus Pocus 3'?
Even though the third movie is still in its early development stages, it still hasn't been confirmed whether Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy will return. Fans can only hope that the sisters would be resurrected soon enough to ensue chaos for the third movie. It seems likely that the trio would come back because fans would not want anyone else other than them and would not show enough enthusiasm for a new cast.
The original 'Hocus Pocus' was released in 1993, and the sequel in 2022 with both films sharing a similar concept of the Sanderson Sisters being resurrected from death on Halloween. Thirty years was a long time for the development of a sequel but it managed to satisfy the audience with its cast and plot.
The second installment was a critical bummer
Both the 'Hocus Pocus' movies were not critics' favorites but became a cult classics because of the love given by the audiences. However, critics loved the sequel more than the original movie which creates an opportunity for creators to be better at the third movie. The second movie drew a record-breaking viewership on Disney+, the studio's streaming platform. The numbers amounted to 2.7 billion viewing minutes. The movie has been a holiday favorite since its release. Prior to the release of the second movie, the leading trio of the movie had always spoken about their interest in being a part of the sequel.
Fans can expect the three witches to return for 'Hocus Pocus 3' and until then, they can let the first two movies cast a spell on them. Hopefully, the third movie would succeed in winning over the critics as well.