'Hocus Pocus 3' Movie: Everything to Know About the Sequel (2024)

Warning: This story contains spoilers from Hocus Pocus 2.Another black flame candle! It took 29 years forHocus Pocus 2 to come to fruition — but Hocus Pocus 3 won’t take nearly as long.In September 2022, Hocus Pocus stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprised their roles as iconic Sanderson sisters Winifred, Sarah and Mary, respectively. After the witches were turned to dust in the 1993 film, the Sanderson sisters didn’t think they’d ever be brought back to life.However, in the sequel, Olde Salem Magic Shoppe owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson) gifts birthday girl Becca (Whitney Peak) with a cursed candle for her and BFFs Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie’s (Lilia Buckingham) annual Halloween ritual.When Becca and Izzy light the candle in the woods, they unknowingly bring the witches back to Salem — and must figure out how to stop them from wreaking havoc on the town. Despite being at odds at the start of the film, Cassie eventually joins forces with her pals to send the Sanderson sisters back to hell.While the witches appear to be gone for good after Becca and her friends (who become her coven) magically vanquish them, the final few minutes of the film reveal that the Olde Salem Magic Shoppe holds a candle labeled as “B.F. Candle #2,” which could once again revive the siblings. Additionally, Hannah Waddingham’s character, Mother Witch — who first guides Winnie and her sisters in their magical quest — is seemingly still roaming the woods.“It's an open-ended movie. So much could happen next. Both extremes, too,” Peak told Entertainment Weekly in October 2022, hinting at a possible comeback. “If there is a next movie, we could be our coven, much older, but the Sanderson sisters could come back, and we'd have to kick their asses again.”[sendtonews type="float" key="gUSxHxT68O-3105934-14453"]The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina alum noted that while she and the rest of the new Coven are up for a third installment, they would need Midler, Parker and Najimy to make it work.“It would be hard to create a third movie without the Sanderson sisters, because it's their movie. They are Hocus Pocus,” Peak added. “It's hard to imagine what a movie would be like without them.”The original witches, however, weren't sure whether the third time would still be a charm. Najimy told EW in September 2022, “I feel like we’re done.” Parker chimed in, saying, “I'd be happy to have a conversation, it just depends on what Kathy and Bette want!”Midler, meanwhile, didn’t rule out slipping into her character's legendary green robe one more time. “I'm envious of other actors who have franchises, and I was hoping for a sequel to First Wives Club, but we never got that. After 30 years with no sequel to Hocus Pocus, I've always been envious of people who get to do their favorite character more than once,” she confessed. “The fact that we got to do this finally, after 30 years of promoting the idea, I'm glad we got to do it. I'd love to have a franchise — especially a character I love playing.”The Beaches star added: “If there was a third one, of course I'd sign on, but I don't know how. I can't imagine what the story would be, but I love Winifred, Sarah, Mary, and our relationship. It's good for women. We stick together through hell and high water, but we do cause mayhem, and not many women cause that much mayhem!”Disney confirmed in June 2023 that Hocus Pocus 3 is happening.Scroll down for everything we know about Hocus Pocus 3:

Warning: This story contains spoilers from Hocus Pocus 2.Another black flame candle! It took 29 years forHocus Pocus 2 to come to fruition — but Hocus Pocus 3 won’t take nearly as long.In September 2022, Hocus Pocus stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy reprised their roles as iconic Sanderson sisters Winifred, Sarah and Mary, respectively. After the witches were turned to dust in the 1993 film, the Sanderson sisters didn’t think they’d ever be brought back to life.However, in the sequel, Olde Salem Magic Shoppe owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson) gifts birthday girl Becca (Whitney Peak) with a cursed candle for her and BFFs Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie’s (Lilia Buckingham) annual Halloween ritual.When Becca and Izzy light the candle in the woods, they unknowingly bring the witches back to Salem — and must figure out how to stop them from wreaking havoc on the town. Despite being at odds at the start of the film, Cassie eventually joins forces with her pals to send the Sanderson sisters back to hell.While the witches appear to be gone for good after Becca and her friends (who become her coven) magically vanquish them, the final few minutes of the film reveal that the Olde Salem Magic Shoppe holds a candle labeled as “B.F. Candle #2,” which could once again revive the siblings. Additionally, Hannah Waddingham’s character, Mother Witch — who first guides Winnie and her sisters in their magical quest — is seemingly still roaming the woods.“It's an open-ended movie. So much could happen next. Both extremes, too,” Peak told Entertainment Weekly in October 2022, hinting at a possible comeback. “If there is a next movie, we could be our coven, much older, but the Sanderson sisters could come back, and we'd have to kick their asses again.”[sendtonews type="float" key="gUSxHxT68O-3105934-14453"]The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina alum noted that while she and the rest of the new Coven are up for a third installment, they would need Midler, Parker and Najimy to make it work.“It would be hard to create a third movie without the Sanderson sisters, because it's their movie. They are Hocus Pocus,” Peak added. “It's hard to imagine what a movie would be like without them.”The original witches, however, weren't sure whether the third time would still be a charm. Najimy told EW in September 2022, “I feel like we’re done.” Parker chimed in, saying, “I'd be happy to have a conversation, it just depends on what Kathy and Bette want!”Midler, meanwhile, didn’t rule out slipping into her character's legendary green robe one more time. “I'm envious of other actors who have franchises, and I was hoping for a sequel to First Wives Club, but we never got that. After 30 years with no sequel to Hocus Pocus, I've always been envious of people who get to do their favorite character more than once,” she confessed. “The fact that we got to do this finally, after 30 years of promoting the idea, I'm glad we got to do it. I'd love to have a franchise — especially a character I love playing.”The Beaches star added: “If there was a third one, of course I'd sign on, but I don't know how. I can't imagine what the story would be, but I love Winifred, Sarah, Mary, and our relationship. It's good for women. We stick together through hell and high water, but we do cause mayhem, and not many women cause that much mayhem!”Disney confirmed in June 2023 that Hocus Pocus 3 is happening.Scroll down for everything we know about Hocus Pocus 3:

Hocus Pocus 2 ends with the Sanderson sisters being defeated by Becca and her new coven, made up of her BFFs Izzy and Cassie. While Winnie pleads to be reunited with her sisters in the afterlife — and is granted her wish — a few haunting things transpire before the credits roll, teasing more to come.

As Becca, Izzy and Cassie — who now know Becca has powers — walk down the street they are followed by a crow that resembles the one Mother Witch transformed into at the start of the film. Plus, Gilbert unveils another black flame candle just before the movie ends … meaning more dark magic could be coming for Salem.

"Bette is already starting rumors … I hitch my wagon to her star,” Parker told Extra in September 2022, referring to her costar. “If she wants to do a third one … No one says no to the Divine Miss M."

“I guess, never say never, but I feel grateful that we got to do it again,” Najimy teased during a September 2022 interview with EW. “I don't know that there are plans for a third one but I know fans are dedicated to this film.”

Vinessa Shaw and Omri Katz, who played Allison and Max respectively, told EW in October 2022 that they would reprise their roles next time around. Neither actor was featured in the second installment. “It's such a fun story, and obviously having us reminisce about this makes it that much more fun and the fondness keeps growing," Shaw explained.

Katz, for his part, revealed he would be "100 percent down to do it" if the opportunity came up. Jason Marsden, who voiced Binx the cat in the first film, said he would “absolutely” take part if asked.

“If there's a third, I want one of us to get corrupted by the power,” Buckingham revealed to EW in October 2022. “I just know it would be Cassie.”

Escobedo, meanwhile, pointed out that “you can never fully get rid of the Sanderson sisters,” while Peak hinted, “They can always come back.”

Hocus Pocus 2 executive producer Adam Shankman revealed in October 2022 that the film’s director, Anne Fletcher, did a good job with Becca’s storyline — and left it open for possible future projects.

“Anne I think handled that really, really beautifully,” Shankman told the Hollywood Reporter of Becca’s realization that she has powers. “We went back and forth on how that was going to work, if it was going to work, forever, and Anne was just like, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’ And I think it’s great. And it creates a lot of excitement about potential spinoffs.”

"I'm not sure," Midler told E! News in February 2023 when asked if fans would get a third movie. "Everything is weird. I don't know, maybe. Who knows?" The Oscar nominee previously teased to EW in September 2022 that if a third film came to fruition she would “of course” sign on.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production president, Sean Bailey, confirmed to The New York Times in June 2023 that the third installment is happening.