Bette Midler, the two-time Oscar nominee, has provided an exciting update regarding the highly anticipated sequel, "Hocus Pocus 3." During a recent appearance on "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," Midler confirmed that a script for the threequel has been completed. She described a significant portion of the script as "brilliant," sparking considerable excitement among fans. However, Midler also noted that she and the producers are currently engaged in "figuring out all those logistical things," which include determining the setting, budget, and other essential details before the Sanderson sisters can once again take flight.

This update represents the most hopeful news for fans since "Hocus Pocus 2" brought Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy back together nearly three decades after the original film. The sequel, released in 2022, achieved remarkable success on Disney+, setting new streaming records by accumulating over 2.7 billion minutes of viewing in a single week. This resurgence of "Salem fever" prompted Sean Bailey, President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, to officially confirm that "Hocus Pocus 3" was in active development. The enduring popularity of the franchise is further underscored by "Hocus Pocus" soaring back up the Disney+ charts during the recent Halloween season, landing at #9 internationally, a notable achievement for a film that was initially a box office disappointment upon its 1993 release.

The original "Hocus Pocus" film, written by Mick Garris and Neil Cuthbert, introduced audiences to the resurrected Sanderson sisters – Winifred (Midler), Sarah (Parker), and Mary (Najimy) – who return to modern-day Salem after a virgin lights the infamous Black Flame Candle. Teenagers Max, Dani, and Allison, aided by the immortal cat Thackery Binx, must race against time to stop the witches before sunrise. "Hocus Pocus 2" continued the chaotic legacy in Salem, featuring a new trio of teenage heroes and expanding the role of Doug Jones' zombie character, Billy Butcherson. Although it garnered a B+ review from Collider's Maggie Lovitt, who praised it as "a warm, nostalgic spell worth falling under again," it aimed to entertain and recapture the magic of the classic with a fresh approach, a goal it successfully achieved. Both "Hocus Pocus" and "Hocus Pocus 2" are currently available for streaming on Disney+.

Midler had previously discussed the status of "Hocus Pocus 3" in July 2024 on the QVC+ talk show "Busy This Week," where she urged Disney to accelerate the sequel's development, humorously noting that "time is barrel-assing to the finish line." With the script now in hand and the original trio of Midler, Parker, and Najimy expected to return, the anticipation for the next chapter in the "Hocus Pocus" saga continues to build as logistical details are finalized for the beloved witches' return.