The Sanderson Sisters are officially returning to cast their spell on audiences one more time. Disney Live Action Studios has confirmed that Hocus Pocus 3 is in early development, with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy all set to reprise their iconic roles as witches Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson. The exclusive was first reported by Deadline on May 6, 2026, and has since been independently confirmed by Variety, The Wrap, and E! News.
The project is officially in early development from Disney Live Action Studios, with all three stars reprising their Sanderson sisters roles. In a notable shift from the franchise’s previous chapter, there is consideration for a theatrical release, given the audience’s clear investment in the beloved franchise. EVP of production Jessica Virtue will oversee the project for Disney Live Action.
Hocus Pocus 2 director Anne Fletcher and writer Jen D’Angelo are also returning to the witchy franchise. Their involvement signals strong creative continuity between the second and third installments, a reassuring sign for the franchise’s loyal fanbase.
The road to a third film has not been without detours. News of a third installment was first announced in 2023 by Sean Bailey, the former President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production. After Bailey’s exit from Disney in 2024, Hocus Pocus 3 was left in limbo. But the stars themselves have kept hope alive publicly. Earlier this year, Parker told Variety that the project was making progress, saying: “They’re working on it. Where Bette goes, I go.” Midler, characteristically candid, once put it plainly: “I think if they’re gonna, they oughta, because time is not just marching, time is barrel-assing to the finish line.”
The urgency behind that sentiment is understandable when considering the franchise’s remarkable second-act success. The 2022 legacy sequel broke records on the Nielsen Top 10 streaming charts, with 2.7 billion minutes viewed in its opening weekend, and became the most-watched original film on Disney+ over its first three days of release.
In October 2025, Midler confirmed she had seen a “brilliant” script for a third and final film, framing it as a trilogy. That enthusiasm has now translated into an official studio commitment. While Disney declined to comment on specifics — as the project is still in its early stages — the studio’s decision to move forward with theatrical distribution ambitions marks a significant upgrade in the franchise’s profile. Hocus Pocus 2 was a streaming-exclusive title; the third film could bring the Sanderson Sisters to the big screen for the first time since the original 1993 classic.
Released in 1993, the original Hocus Pocus is set on a Halloween night when three 17th-century witches — Winnie (Midler), Sarah (Parker), and Mary (Najimy) — are resurrected in Salem, Massachusetts, hundreds of years after their heyday. Directed by Kenny Ortega, the film was not a box office success upon release, but found its audience through decades of television reruns and home video, eventually cementing itself as one of the most enduring Halloween cult classics in Hollywood history.
No plot details, production timeline, or release date have been confirmed for Hocus Pocus 3. The project remains in its earliest development phase, with Disney offering no official comment beyond what has been confirmed through the studio’s representatives and talent agencies. Midler is represented by CAA; Parker by CAA and Schreck Rose Dapello & Adams LLP; and Najimy by Independent Artist Group.
For fans who have waited decades between each installment, the confirmation is more than enough to conjure renewed excitement — even if the full spell won’t be cast for some time yet.
