While Halloween may be over, there’s never a bad time to talk about the Disney gateway horror classic Hocus Pocus. As fans continue to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy’s Sanderson Sisters running amuck, amuck, amuck through Salem, thoughts are also tuned into what the future could bring.
Which, of course, is a good point to remind everyone that Hocus Pocus 3 is happening, and what’s more writer Jen D’Angelo has provided an update on its script. Not only is that information in play, but there’s also a tease for just how Hannah Waddingham’s character from Hocus Pocus 2 might actually connect to the original classic.
The Status Of Hocus Pocus 3’s Story, According To Jen D’Angelo
Speaking to EW on the occasion of this year’s big milestone for Hocus Pocus, Ms. D’Angelo has been a font of information when it comes to this beloved universe. Previously, she revealed that legacy bullies Jay and Ice were almost in Hocus Pocus 2; but were eventually cut from the script.
Anyone holding out for hope that those two nutty funsters, or any other OG characters, may appear in Hocus Pocus 3 shouldn’t get their spirits up just yet. Though as far as where the script for Jen D’Angelo’s second entry in the series will go, she did provide this quick hit of information:
We're still in the story phase, we're still working on it. We've been working on some ideas, and 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. We've only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham's mother witch.
So for those of you who want to use that Disney+ subscription to scour for clues in both Hocus Pocus films, you officially have your first assignment. Introduced in 2022’s long awaited legacy-quel, the Mother Witch was shown to be the mentor that set the Sanderson Sisters down their path of eternal life through child murder.
With Hocus Pocus 2’s ending teasing that Waddingham’s central figure is now interested in a new coven of witches, the door is clearly wide open for her return. However, the writer of this year’s Quiz Lady has also revealed just how she may intend to connect Hannah Waddigham back into 1993’s Hocus Pocus. Brace yourselves for a deep cut of Sanderson Sister lore.
How Hannah Waddingham’s Mother Witch May Be Retconned Into The Original
If you’re a Hocus Pocus fan who knows the movie front to back, I have three words that will sum up where Jen D’Angelo is headed with her Hocus Pocus 3 logic: The Calming Circle. If you need a bit of a refresher, or if you just love that scene to begin with, take a look at the video below. But while you watch, pay close attention to those happy memories Kathy Najimy’s Mary Sanderson recalls in her attempted soothing:
Upon first glance, this feels like the ladies remembering their long departed family fondly. That’s especially true with the mention of “Mummy’s Scorpion Pie,” which already sounds like a horrific delicacy these witches loved to feast upon. However, according to D’Angelo, her take on Mummy isn’t literal, as she’s potentially using that reference to make the following connection:
I believe that she's that mother, that she is the scorpion pie mother, and that they had a much more significant relationship with her than we've yet to see. But, maybe we will see.
Bringing it all back around to the point that Hocus Pocus 3’s story still has “so many directions” it can take, our reunion with everyone’s favorite Ted Lasso veteran turned spellcaster might not use the theory above in practice. Which is perfectly fine, as Playbill pointed out another way that Mother Witch may have already been built into the mix, thanks to Dani (Thora Birch) potentially being dressed as her for Halloween in 1993.
Perhaps the confirmation or debunking of that other theory might be the way to bring back more OG Hocus Pocus characters. Star Omri Katz is certainly down for it, and one could imagine that Vinessa Shaw and Thora Birch would be interested as well. For now, we’ll all just have to keep waiting for new Hocus Pocus 3 details, as the script is still being worked out. Meanwhile, if you want to revisit both of the previous installments, Disney+ is your ticket to keeping Halloween alive.
