The Big Picture

Bette Midler is pushing for
Hocus Pocus 3
, stating time is running out for the production to begin.
The success of
Hocus Pocus 2
has fueled anticipation for a third film, which has yet to even have a script.
Screenwriter Jen D’Angelo hopes to explore new aspects of the story in
Hocus Pocus 3
, potentially focusing more on Hannah Waddingham’s Mother Witch.

If Bette Midler’s demands are to be acknowledged, Hocus Pocus 3 will be arriving sooner rather than later. This comes via Entertainment Weekly, with Midler joking that the central cast are running out of time for the announced third installment to enter production. The 78-year-old icon desperately wants to reprise her role as Winifred Sanderson, saying, “I think if they’re gonna, they oughta, because time is not just marching, time is barrel-assing to the finish line,” and continues to joke that Disney should, “Get us while we’re still breathing, I mean, God!”.

Alongside her co-stars, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker, Midler has transformed the franchise into a cult classic, with the recent release of a second outing receiving fond praise. The second installment was so well-received, in fact, that a third film was confirmed to be in the works by Disney boss Sean Bailey back in June 2023. Now over a year later, a script hasn’t even landed on the desk of Midler, with the actress noting about such in the aforementioned interview – “I haven’t seen the script, but, I’ve heard rumblings”.

Could ‘Hocus Pocus 3’ Focus More on Hannah Waddingham’s Mother Witch?
Image via Disney

Although the sequel to Hocus Pocus focused on stirring up a cauldron full of nostalgia, new additions were made to keep the franchise fresh. The highlight of these additions came in the form of Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham, whose performance as the sinister Mother Witch was nothing short of spellbinding. A third outing would hopefully see more of Waddingham’s Witch, with her show-stealing turn in the second ready to push her even further into the third’s spotlight. According to Entertainment Weekly, screenwriter Jen D’Angelo shares a similar sentiment, referencing the suggestion of a “Mother” in the 1993 Kenny Ortega original and its likelihood of being the same character. D’Angelo said, “I believe that she’s that mother, that she is the scorpion pie mother, and that they had a much more significant relationship with her than we’ve yet to see. But, maybe we will see.”

D’Angelo then further expanded on Hocus Pocus 3’s current stage, and just how excited they are to continue this Halloween legacy. D’Angelo said, “I’m hoping that we are able to explore every aspect of these stories and take these characters on a bunch of fun adventures. 3 is still very much in the early stages, we don’t really know what it is, but we’re exploring all options and I think everybody is so delighted by the reaction that Hocus Pocus 2 got, and we’re excited to continue those stories.”

You can watch the most recent Hocus Pocus 2 right now on Disney+.

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