{"id":777821,"date":"2026-05-06T18:15:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T18:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/777821\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T18:15:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T18:15:19","slug":"hocus-pocus-3-in-the-works-bette-midler-sjp-kathy-najimy-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/777821\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Hocus Pocus 3’ In The Works; Bette Midler, SJP & Kathy Najimy Back"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tEXCLUSIVE: <\/strong>Hocus Pocus<\/a> 3 is officially in early development from Disney<\/a> Live Action Studios, with stars Bette Midler<\/a>, Sarah Jessica Parker<\/a> and Kathy Najimy<\/a> reprising their roles as the Sanderson sisters.<\/p>\n

\n\tWe understand there are plans for a theatrical distribution component this time around, following the success<\/a> of 2022\u2019s straight-to-streaming Hocus Pocus 2, available exclusively on Disney+. However, the studio declined to comment as the project is still in its infancy. EVP Production\u00a0Jessica Virtue\u00a0will oversee the project on behalf of Disney Live Action<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n\tNews of a third installment of the bewitching films was announced in 2023 by Sean Bailey<\/a>, former President of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production. After Bailey\u2019s exit from Disney in 2024<\/a>, Hocus Pocus 3<\/a> was left in limbo.<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s been just shy of three years since talk of the newest sequel reached a fever pitch, after Midler revealed a \u201cbrilliant\u201d script was ready<\/a> but \u201cproducers [were] working out \u2018all those logistical things\u2019 before they can return to complete the trilogy.\u201d Sources tell me the halt in negotiations came down to salary negotiations with Midler, Parker and Najimy, all of which have been worked out.<\/p>\n

\n\tPlot details for Hocus Pocus 3 are under wraps.<\/p>\n

\n\tReleased in 1993, Hocus Pocus is set on a Halloween Night when three 17th century witches \u2014 Winnie (Midler), Sarah (Parker), and Mary (Najimy) \u2014 are resurrected in Salem, Massachusetts, hundreds of years after their heyday. Without missing a beat, the trio attempts to steal the life essence from the town\u2019s children so they can have eternal life.<\/p>\n

\n\tDirected by Kenny Ortega, The film also starred Omri Katz, Thora Birch, James Marsden and Sean Murray.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn Hocus Pocus 2 (2022), It\u2019s been 29 years since someone lit the Black Flame Candle and resurrected the 17th-century sisters, and they are looking for revenge. Now it is up to three high-school students to stop the ravenous witches from wreaking a new kind of havoc on Salem before dawn on All Hallows\u2019 Eve.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe sequel, directed by Anne Fletcher, also starred Hannah Waddingham, Belissa Escobedo, Tony Hale, and Whitney Peak.<\/p>\n

\n\tMany former cast members mentioned above have spoken openly about wanting to return to the Sanderson coven, including Birch and Marsden. If it indeed is the final installment of the Hocus Pocus films, it would be great fan service to bring back some familiar faces.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Bette<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tFrom left: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJonathan Pushnik\/Courtesy<\/p>\n

\n\tAcross her lengthy career, Midler has received four Grammys, two Oscar nominations, three Emmy Awards and two Tony Awards. Along with Hocus Pocus, she has been\u00a0recognized\u00a0for standout roles in films including\u00a0The Rose, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, Beaches and\u00a0The First Wives Club. Midler is represented by CAA.<\/p>\n

\n\tParker is widely recognized for leading the Sex and the City franchise and its film sequels. Her film credits also include\u00a0Ed Wood, The Family Stone,\u00a0and\u00a0The First Wives Club.\u00a0Parker is represented by CAA and Schreck Rose Dapello & Adams LLP.<\/p>\n

\n\tNajimy is known for her roles in films including\u00a0Sister Act, Rat Race,\u00a0The Wedding Planner, and most recently\u00a0Hoppers. Najimy is represented by Independent Artist Group.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"EXCLUSIVE: Hocus Pocus 3 is officially in early development from Disney Live Action Studios, with stars Bette Midler,…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":777822,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[151136,185,7299,318576,171,224086,318577,318578,1096,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-777821","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-celebrities","8":"tag-bette-midler","9":"tag-celebrities","10":"tag-disney","11":"tag-disney-live-action","12":"tag-entertainment","13":"tag-hocus-pocus","14":"tag-hocus-pocus-3","15":"tag-kathy-najimy","16":"tag-sarah-jessica-parker","17":"tag-united-states","18":"tag-unitedstates","19":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/116529000079311508","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/777821","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=777821"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/777821\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/777822"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=777821"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=777821"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=777821"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}