HOCUS POCUS 3: RISE OF THE COVEN (2026)

⭐ Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Hannah Waddingham
🎬 Directed by Anne Fletcher
🎭 Genre: Fantasy | Comedy | Adventure | Family
🧙‍♀️ A Walt Disney Pictures Original Film

“The witches are back… and this time, they’re not alone.”

🕯️ The Witching Hour Returns

The black flame candle flickers once more.
The winds of Salem whisper.
And the Sanderson Sisters — those delightfully wicked icons of mischief and mayhem — are back for one final spellbinding adventure.

Following the magical success of Hocus Pocus 2, the beloved trio returns in Hocus Pocus 3: Rise of the Coven — a dazzling, heart-filled continuation that raises the stakes, deepens the lore, and reignites the Halloween spirit for a new generation.

This time, the sisters aren’t just running amok — they’re fighting for the very soul of Salem.

🌙 The Story

When a rare celestial alignment — The Witch’s Convergence — sends waves of chaotic energy through Salem, the infamous Book of Spells stirs from its slumber. Drawn by the call, three young women stumble upon the ancient magic, unwittingly lighting the way for the Sanderson Sisters’ resurrection.

But something comes with them.

An ancient order of witches, The Salem Coven, once thought lost to history, rises again — led by the enigmatic and powerful Mother Morrigan (Hannah Waddingham), the original matriarch of Salem’s dark magic. Betrayed centuries ago, she returns seeking vengeance — not only against mortals, but against the Sandersons themselves.

Caught between worlds, Winifred (Bette Midler) must face the one witch even she fears — her own mentor.
Meanwhile, Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Mary (Kathy Najimy) find themselves questioning their loyalties as they navigate modern witchcraft, TikTok spells, and a town that now celebrates the legends they once terrified.

To survive, the sisters must do the unthinkable: ally with their resurrectors — three modern witches still learning the power within their bloodline. Together, they form an uneasy alliance to prevent the Salem Coven from tearing the veil between worlds apart.

“We were once feared,” Winifred hisses. “Now they wear our faces on sweatshirts. How the mighty have risen... again.”

🧹 A New Generation of Magic

The film introduces a vibrant new trio of heroines:

Becca (Whitney Peak) – now a confident witch-in-training, determined to protect Salem.
Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) – brilliant and brave, mastering spells the Sandersons could only dream of.
Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) – the skeptic turned believer, who discovers a family secret tying her bloodline to Salem’s original coven.

When their newfound powers intertwine with the Sandersons’ chaotic energy, spells backfire, broomsticks crash, and the past collides with the present in gloriously magical fashion.

🕸️ Themes of Sisterhood, Legacy & Power

At its core, Hocus Pocus 3 is about sisterhood across centuries — how love, rivalry, and loyalty endure even through lifetimes of magic and mayhem.

It explores:

✨ The Power of Legacy: Can the next generation learn from the chaos of the past?
🧡 The Bonds of Sisterhood: What defines a family — blood, magic, or choice?
🌑 Redemption & Reckoning: Even the wicked can change… but at what cost?

As the line between good and evil blurs, the Sandersons must decide whether to embrace their mischief — or their humanity.

“Maybe it wasn’t power we wanted,” Mary whispers, “maybe it was belonging.”

🎥 Behind the Magic

Director Anne Fletcher (who helmed Hocus Pocus 2) returns to weave heart, humor, and Halloween nostalgia into a visually rich modern fairy tale.
With Hannah Waddingham joining the cast as the hauntingly elegant Mother Morrigan, the film expands the magical universe while honoring the charm and chaos of the original.

🎨 Production Design: Gothic cobblestones meet neon jack-o’-lanterns — Salem becomes a living spellbook, blending history with whimsy.
🎵 Music: Original songs by Bette Midler and Marc Shaiman (composer of Hairspray) deliver a blend of Broadway-level enchantment and Halloween spirit. Expect another instant-classic musical number — “Rise of the Coven,” an anthem of dark sisterhood.
🕯️ Visual Effects: From enchanted forests to moonlit battles in Salem’s cemetery, the film’s visual magic glows with both humor and heart.

🧙‍♀️ The Cast

Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson — sharper, funnier, and more determined than ever.
Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson — still delightfully distracted but with surprising heart.
Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson — loyal, loving, and full of unexpected wisdom.
Hannah Waddingham as Mother Morrigan — a new villainess whose power and presence redefine Salem’s dark history.
Whitney Peak, Belissa Escobedo, and Lilia Buckingham return as the new coven, bridging old magic with new energy.

Expect cameos from Doug Jones as Billy Butcherson (still not quite at rest) and Thora Birch as Dani Dennison — grown up, now a folklore professor uncovering the truth behind the Sanderson legend.

🎃 Why Fans Will Love It

The original Sanderson Sisters, back and as hilarious as ever.
A deeper mythology that expands the Hocus Pocus world beyond Salem’s borders.
Spellbinding new songs and musical sequences.
Nostalgic nods to the original, from black flame candles to flying vacuums.
A perfect balance of spooky fun and heartfelt storytelling — for fans old and new.

✨ Final Enchantment

“Sisters,” Winifred says in the film’s climax, her hands trembling with power and regret,
“For once in our cursed lives… let’s do the right thing — the wicked way.”

Lightning flashes. The moon turns crimson. And as laughter echoes through the night, one thing is certain:
Salem will never be the same.

🕯️ HOCUS POCUS 3: RISE OF THE COVEN
🎃 “This time, the magic runs in their blood.”
📅 Coming Halloween 2026 — Only on Disney+
✨ A Walt Disney Pictures Original
🎵 Music by Marc Shaiman | Directed by Anne Fletcher