Hocus Pocus 3 Just Got Confirmed - What Could It Be About?
"Hocus Pocus" is a Halloween staple. First released in 1993, the franchise has remained extremely popular, with many watching the original film over and over again during the fall season. A second film was released in 2022 on Disney+ and received decent reviews from fans and critics.
Following Winnifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary Sanderson (Kathy Najimy), the three witches constantly cause havoc in the city of Salem, Massachusetts.
The New York Times has confirmed that a third movie is in the works. Though there are no details on what it could be about, Disney can bring the Sanderson sisters back in several ways. They can follow the new witches from the previous film. They can also go in an entirely new direction and make an alternate story that is based on the "All New Sequel" book published in 2018. This focuses on the daughter of Max Dennison (Omri Katz) and Allison (Vinessa Shaw) from the first movie, who, like her parents, faces off against the Sanderson sisters.
The new coven takes center stage
A new movie could focus on Becca (Whitney Peak), Izzy (Belissa Escobedo), and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham), who mirror the Sandersons in several ways.
In "Hocus Pocus 2," the girls find Winifred's spell book and use magic to stop the witches. Though they are also a coven, they use their powers for good rather than evil, as seen when they reunite the sisters and break Billy's (Doug Jones) curse.
At the movie's end, they walk through the forest—in a similar fashion to the Sandersons—and practice their magic. As they leave, a crow that looks like the one Mother Witch (Hannah Waddingham) shape-shifted into watches.
A third film could show the girls embracing their witchy sides. As they learn to control their powers, Mother Witch could appear and attempt to manipulate them into using their magic for corrupt purposes. This could include bringing back the Sanderson Sisters and trying to destroy Salem. It would be interesting to see Becca, Izzy, and Cassie tempted by Mother Witch, as it would add some darkness to their characters.
The Sandersons had a bittersweet farewell in the previous film. However, if they return, they could remember what the girls did for them and return the favor. With the Sanderson sisters by their side, the new and old coven can work together to banish Mother Witch and give the original witches the ending they deserve.
Another witchy alternate route
Disney can go an alternate route with a new "Hocus Pocus" film. Published in 2018, "The All New Sequel" detailed what a possible continuation could be about. It follows Max and Allison's daughter, Poppy, who is embarrassed by the fact that her parents believe in the Sandersons and claim to have fought them in 1993. Though they forbid anything Halloween, Poppy does not put any stock in their stories.
On Halloween night, Poppy and her crush, Isabella, are tricked into reciting a spell that sends Max, Allison, and Dani's (Thora Birch) souls into hell. In exchange, the Sandersons are sent back to Salem. Though they want to gain immortality, as they did before, they have a more sinister plan in mind. The witches want to swap the spirits of everyone on Earth with every witch in the underworld. That way, they can rule the world with a super coven.
Luckily, Elizabeth Sanderson—the long-lost sister killed for her siblings' crimes—returns as a ghost. She aids Isabella, who happens to be her descendant and Poppy, and they are able to send Winifred, Sarah, and Mary back where they belong.
Though this story doesn't relate to the current sequel, it would be a great treat for fans to see Max, Allison, and Dani again. It would also be interesting to see their daughter carry on the family legacy and offer LGBTQ+ representation in the process.