While which witchy three will return to lead Hocus Pocus 3 remains to be seen, we now know that Hocus Pocus 2 director Anne Fletcher will be back to close out the trilogy.
If you looked outside during Halloween 2022 you could see the Sanderson spell was alive and well, so it comes as no surprise that Disney would continue the franchise. The Wrap reports that Fletcher is on board to helm the sequel, news that comes shortly after Disney producer Sean Bailey’s announcement of it being in the works. Last year’s Disney+ sequel to 1993's Hocus Pocus renewed interest in the Bette Midler-led franchise; it also brought back Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy to round out the trio of Salem’s most feared supernatural siblings. Sequel writer Jen D’Angelo will also return to pen the new script.
So far there’s no word on casting. A trio of young witches was introduced in Hocus Pocus 2, played by Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, and Lilia Buckingham, so it would make sense for their characters to carry the franchise forward. However, I’m willing to bet that we haven’t seen the last of the Sanderson sisters—it seems unlikely Midler would deny her witchy Winnie another bow. Maybe some fun time-travel hijinks could ensue and the young Sanderson sisters could be brought into the modern world, especially considering they stole all their scenes in Hocus Pocus 2.
Also unknown is the film’s release strategy. Hocus Pocus 2 was a direct-to-Disney+ release, but that could change for the third film. Like Winnie’s magical “booooook,” we’ll keep an eye out for more news on Hocus Pocus 3.
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