Bette Midler Says ‘Hocus Pocus 3’ Could Be Ready for Halloween 2026 – and the Script Is ‘Brilliant’ | Video

The actress did not indicate who else would return for the film

Bette Midler poses at the opening night of the new musical "Some Like It Hot!" on Broadway at The Shubert Theatre on December 11, 2022 in New York City
Bette Midler poses at the opening night of the new musical "Some Like It Hot!" on Broadway at The Shubert Theatre on December 11, 2022 in New York City (Bruce Glikas/WireImage)

According to Bette Midler, “Hocus Pocus” fans should get ready for a third installment in the popular film franchise, and it may be coming very soon. Midler offered the update while speaking to Andy Cohen.

Midler told Cohen that a script has been reviewed and “it was brilliant.”

“So I got very excited,” she continued on the Friday show, “and now we’re sort of like trying to figure out what it is and how it’s going, where it’s going to be and how much it’s going to cost.”

But, she continued, fans might not have to wait that long. Midler added the film could be ready as soon as “Halloween 2026 — we don’t know.”

The second installment of the “Hocus Pocus” films landed on Disney+ on September 30, 2024. The movie was directed by Anne Fletcher (“Dumplin,’” “The Proposal”) and produced by Lynn Harris (“King Richard,” “The Shallows”), and Ralph Winter (“Hocus Pocus,” the “X-Men” franchise), David Kirschner (“Hocus Pocus,” “Chucky”) and Adam Shankman (“Disenchanted,” “Hairspray”) served as executive producers. 

Midler reprised her role as Winifred Sanderson. She was joined by original cast member Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson and Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson.

The film was notably missing its original cast of children, including Thora Birch. The actress previously explained her lack of participation was due to an evolving script.

“I do know that there were, along the way, some concepts and some ideas about ways to bring us back. And for whatever reason, it just didn’t work,” Birch said at 90s Con in March 2023. “Some of us were going to be on, some of us weren’t. And then it just was such a roller coaster ride.”

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