Sistahhhs!
Bette Midler urged Disney to complete the script for “Hocus Pocus 3” during a recent appearance on Busy Philipps’ “Busy This Week” talk show.
“I haven’t seen the script, but I’ve heard rumblings,” Midler said. “But I haven’t seen anything.”
The 78-year-old actress added: “I think if they’re gonna, they oughta, because time is not just marching, time is barrel-assing to the finish line. Get us while we’re still breathing, I mean, God!”
Midler played Winifred Sanderson in 1993’s “Hocus Pocus” and its Disney+ sequel that came out nearly three decades later.
Winifred is one-third of the witchy Sanderson Sisters. The others, Sarah and Mary, are played by Sarah Jessica Parker, 59, and Kathy Najimy, 67, respectively.
Midler told Philipps, 45, that she was surprised “Hocus Pocus” became so popular after it was panned by critics upon its release.
“When it first came out, it was like … I don’t wanna use the word dud, but I will use it in this context,” she said. “As the years went on, cumulatively it got more and more and more of an audience until it became a cult classic.”
“I think it was about 10 years after it had been released that we started agitating for us to do a sequel. We were met with absolute disinterest,” Midler continued, adding that the role of Winifred is her “favorite part” she’s ever played.
“Low and behold, 30 years later we did the sequel,” she said.
“Hocus Pocus 2” became Disney+’s most-watched film ever.
The sequel introduced several new cast members, including Hannah Waddingham, Tony Hale, Sam Richardson, Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, Froy Gutierrez and Lilia Buckingham.
Disney confirmed in June 2023 that “Hocus Pocus 3” was in development.
“We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it,” screenwriter Jen D’Angelo told Entertainment Weekly last October. “We’ve been working on some ideas. It’s been fun to dive back into that world and we have so many directions in which to go and so many new characters to explore.
“I’m hoping that we are able to explore every aspect of these stories and take these characters on a bunch of fun adventures,” she continued. “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.”
Midler gave an update on the third film on SiriusXM’s “The Jess Cagle Show” last month.
“Now, they’re kind of talking about a third, very gingerly and very gently. They are. They’re talking about a third,” she said at the time. “The second one was a huge success.”
The ending of “Hocus Pocus 2” certainly left room for a sequel.
In a post-credit scene, there is a tease of a second black flame candle that could be used to revitalize the Sanderson Sisters.