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Bette Midler’s Cryptic Message Ignites Fan Frenzy Over ‘Hocus Pocus 3’
By Michelle Stein
Oct 2, 2025
Mister D: Couldn’t it be that Bette Midler is just signaling it’s that time of year again? Let’s keep our hopes in check!
‘Sisters! Gather ’round! Let’s come together and conjure up Hocus Pocus 3!’ one fan wrote of the franchise starring Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy.
Bette Midler’s cryptic social media message ignited a fan frenzy over Hocus Pocus 3 potentially coming soon.
Midler infamously portrayed Winifred Sanderson in the cult-classic, original 1993 film, while Sarah Jessica Parker played Sarah Sanderson and Kathy Najimy played Mary Sanderson. In 2022, the trio reunited for Hocus Pocus 2.
On Thursday, Oct. 2, the iconic actress, 79, took to Instagram with a photo of a lit black candle.
Although Midler did not caption the update, and may have just posted it to celebrate the beginning of spooky season, fans began reading further into it. The image featured the Black Flame Candle, a magical feature of the cult-classic 1993 Halloween film. When the fictional candle, made from the fat of a hanged man, is lit by a virgin on All Hallows’ Eve, it summons the Sanderson sisters from the dead.
Bette Midler’s Post Left Fans Running Amok
In the comments, fans immediately hoped that the photo was a hint that Hocus Pocus 3 would soon be announced.
One Instagram user wrote, “If this isn’t leading to a Hocus Pocus 3 announcement I’m going to run AMOK!”
Another follower shared, “Sisters! Gather ’round! Let’s come together and conjure up Hocus Pocus 3!!!” as a third echoed, “SISTAHHHH!”
Someone else begged, “Hocus Pocus 3!!!!!! but can we bring back the old characters please!!!!!!!!” referring to Thora Birch (Dani), Omri Katz (Max), Vinessa Shaw (Allison) and Sean Murray (Thackery Binx).
A different fan declared, “And this is my sign! Must watch Hocus Pocus 1 and 2 today! ??????.”
Meanwhile, yet another Instagram user commented, “Please, we need HOCUS POCUS 3!!!”
In 2022, Hocus Pocus 2 broke streaming records after it was released on Disney+. Midler, Parker and Najimy reprised their roles—however, the rest of the cast were newcomers. Taylor Henderson portrayed young Winifred, Nina Kitchen played young Mary, and Juju Journey Brener played young Sarah. Additionally, the story featured a group of teenagers in present-day Salem, Mass.: Becca (Whitney Peak), Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham).
Is a ‘Hocus Pocus 3’ Happening?
Hocus Pocus 2 screenwriter Jen D’Angelo confirmed in 2023 that a third film was still in the works following the Writers Guild of America strike.
“We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it,” she told Entertainment Weekly. “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. We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s mother witch.”
D’Angelo continued, “I’m hoping that we are able to explore every aspect of these stories and take these characters on a bunch of fun adventures. 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.”
Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 are available to stream on Disney+.
