CBR
Hocus Pocus Is Still Beating Almost Every Movie On Disney+
By Deena ElGenaidi
Oct 8, 2026
Halloween is fast approaching, and that means Halloween specials and spooky movies are taking over streaming. One Halloween movie in particular is making a resurgence, 33 years after its release: Hocus Pocus.
The Halloween cult classic is currently dominating the streaming charts. On Disney+, Hocus Pocus is the No. 2 most-watched movie in the United States, per FlixPatrol. The only movie beating the Halloween hit is Toy Story 5, which debuted on streaming on Sep. 23. Meanwhile, Hocus Pocus 2 is No. 4 in the U.S.
Overview
Hocus Pocus is a Halloween cult classic.
It debuted in 1993, directed by Kenny Ortega.
The movie stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy.
Omri Katz, Thora Birch, and Vanessa Shaw.
It follows a trio of witches—the Sanderson sisters—rescued by a teenage boy, Max, on Halloween night.
They are in Salem, Massachusetts.
To stay alive and young, the witches must steal children’s souls before sunrise.
Max, his younger sister Dani, and his high school crush Allison must stop the witches.
Before it is too late.
When Hocus Pocus first released, it was a box-office failure and had poor reviews from critics. Hocus Pocus currently has a 42% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. During its theatrical run, Disney lost around $16.5 million. Now, though, the movie is more popular than ever. But as a generation saw Hocus Pocus for the first time on the Disney Channel and Freeform (formerly ABC Family) years later, the Halloween movie gained a cult following. Audiences have given the movie a 72% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Each Halloween in recent years, Hocus Pocus gets a resurgence on streaming as audiences rediscover the cult classic. In 2022, 29 years after the original movie, Disney released Hocus Pocus 2. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy returned to reprise their roles as the Sanderson sisters.
Disney is developing a third Hocus Pocus film. Rumors of a third film circulated after the 2022 sequel release. In June 2023, the president of Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production confirmed it is in development. Since then, several stars have expressed interest in returning for the third movie. In July 2025, Sarah Jessica Parker confirmed the cast has had preliminary talks with Disney.
Then, about a year ago, Doug Jones, who played Billy Butcherson in both Hocus Pocus movies, said he would absolutely return for a third. In an interview with ScreenRant, Jones said, “So would I do a part three? Abso-freaking-lutely, I would. If that offer comes, yes.” Original Hocus Pocus star Thora Birch also showed interest in reprising her role as Dani. Although she wasn’t in the second movie, when Entertainment Tonight asked Birch if she would be in the third Hocus Pocus, Birch responded, “I’m super open to the idea.”
Finally, in May 2026, Hocus Pocus 3 was officially announced, with Midler, Parker, and Najimy confirmed to reprise their roles. The movie does not yet have a release date.
Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 are streaming on Disney+.
