Bette Midler hints at third Hocus Pocus in early development

Bette Midler said she has read a script for a third Hocus Pocus film and that studio executives are weighing production logistics, offering the clearest sign yet that the Disney franchise could become a trilogy. Midler made the remarks on a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live, saying the draft she saw was "a lot of it was brilliant" and that filmmakers are "trying to figure out what it is and where it's going to be and how much it's going to cost and all those logistical things."

The announcement follows a steady push by Disney and the film's creative team since Hocus Pocus 2 became a streaming hit after its 2022 release. The sequel set records on the studio's platform, registering 2.7 billion minutes viewed in its first week and finishing as one of the most-streamed films of 2022 with roughly 5.7 billion minutes viewed, figures that studio executives have cited in discussions about continuing the series. Sean Bailey, president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, confirmed in mid-2023 that a third film was in development.

If the project advances, production faces practical hurdles the actors and studio are already flagging. Midler emphasized that cost,...