It took three decades for fans of the Sanderson sisters to get their second slice of witchy goodness in the Disney+ legacy sequel, Hocus Pocus 2. The success of the movie’s streaming debut instantly made it seem likely that another film would be heading down the line, and stars, including Bette Midler, were very positive about getting back in the spooky groove for a third time. However, in a recent interview on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Midler’s costar Sarah Jessica Parker has made the chances of Hocus Pocus 3 happening a little less likely.

Parker plays Sarah Sanderson in both Hocus Pocus movies, and while it is clear that she, like her other costars, would be more than happy to return to the role for a third time, whether that happens seems to depend on things actually getting moving at Disney. So far, there doesn’t seem to be much movement, which is not what fans hoped to hear. When asked about progress on the third movie, Parker said:

"No more developments, other than we would like to do it. We’ve been having some conversations.”

This may not be the most encouraging sign for the threequel’s future, as movies don’t get made overnight. Midler previously addressed the chances of a sequel, and noted that “Time is barrel-assing to the finish line,” and they would need to hurry up if they wanted to do another film. Midler is 79 years old, while Parker is 60 and Kathy Najimy – third witch Mary – is 68. Based on that, and the physical effort playing the three witches takes, Midler’s comments are not hard to understand.

The previous installment, Hocus Pocus 2, premiered on Disney+ to huge fanfare, becoming one of the streamer's most successful original films when it debuted in 2022. Talk of a third movie was instantly the stuff of social media gossip and headlines, with everyone involved seemingly onboard with the idea of making another movie. The second movie introduced several more layers to the story of the Sanderson sisters – with part of the film going back to the Sandersons’ childhoods – and there was plenty of scope for another story to be wrung out of the IP while the Black Flame was still burning.

Of course, almost everything about the future of Hocus Pocus relies on The Walt Disney Company. At the time when Hocus Pocus 2 was made, there was a huge focus on Disney+ content being churned out. That seems to have shifted a little in the last year, with movies like Predator: Badlands and Alien: Romulus seemingly being promoted from streaming originals to full-blown theatrical events. The question then becomes, could Hocus Pocus 3 be enough of a box office draw to warrant it?

However, Bob Iger has made it clear that Disney’s future firmly involves tapping into existing IPs and expanding stories that everyone is familiar with. Could this open the door to a third adventure with the Sandersons? Only time will tell, but as Midler suggested, that time is potentially running out the longer the movie stays in limbo.

Source: Watch What Happens Live!