While Hocus Pocus 3 is officially happening, this sequel will only be worth watching if the movie brings back some iconic characters from Hocus Pocus and 2022’s Hocus Pocus 2. Director Kenny Ortega’s Hocus Pocus is a Halloween classic. A family-friendly horror comedy, 1993’s Hocus Pocus tells the story of a pair of teens and one intrepid kid who must stop a trio of witches from taking over their small hometown. While the Sanderson sisters are ostensibly the villains of Hocus Pocus, their memorable characters and the spirited performances from their actors made them the breakout stars of the original movie.
Wisely, 2022’s belated sequel Hocus Pocus 2 brought the Sanderson sisters into the spotlight. While the heroes of the sequel were still teens who accidentally meddled in dark magic and revived the trio, the Sanderson sisters received a more sympathetic portrayal in Hocus Pocus 2 than they did in the original movie. Despite this, Hocus Pocus 2 was met with a lukewarm reception from both fans and critics alike. While far from terrible, Hocus Pocus 2 was seen as an unnecessary sequel since its additions to the franchise’s lore were both convoluted and a little inconsistent. In particular, Winifred Sanderson’s villainy was toned down beyond recognition.
8 3 Sanderson Sisters
The news that Hocus Pocus 3 is in development at Disney will be promising for anyone who wanted to see the franchise take another shot at a sequel. The Sanderson sisters must return in Hocus Pocus 3 since the triumvirate are the lead characters of the franchise and its primary draw. While the Sanderson sisters aren’t killers (at least, not onscreen), they effectively serve the same function as Freddy Krueger or Jason Voorhees in the Hocus Pocus franchise. While each new sequel has interchangeable new lead characters, the real appeal is seeing the villains rise from the dead again.
7 Becca & Izzy
While Hocus Pocus 2 did prioritize the Sanderson sisters for most of its runtime, the sequel also found time for its new lead characters. Becca and Izzy were a pair of magic-obsessed teenagers who accidentally revived the Sanderson sisters on the night of Becca’s 16th birthday. Izzy’s quirkiness and Becca’s struggle with balancing her occult interests and her high school social life were compelling in Hocus Pocus 2, and these elements would make their return in Hocus Pocus 3 a welcome surprise. Since Hocus Pocus 2 was produced so recently, Izzy and Becca’s characters could still be in high school in Hocus Pocus 3.
6 Billy
Winifred’s former love interest Billy Butcherson was poisoned by the witch when he hooked up with her sister and then raised from the dead as a zombie after his death. In the original Hocus Pocus, this mute comic relief character helped the heroes defeat the Sanderson sisters. In Hocus Pocus 2, he had a slightly more limited role as Billy helped Gilbert to thwart their villainous plan. However, Hocus Pocus 3 could bring Billy back into the spotlight if the sequel were to give him a bigger supporting role and bring back some of his co-stars from the original Hocus Pocus.
5 Mother Witch
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Franchise newcomer Hannah Waddinhgam’s Mother Witch appears early in Hocus Pocus 2, gifting the preteen Sanderson sisters with their infamous spell book. Unfortunately, Hocus Pocus 2 mostly wasted Waddingham’s Mother Witch character, with her entire role being limited to this opening scene cameo. Luckily, Hocus Pocus 3 can ameliorate this disappointment by giving Mother Witch a more substantial role. As the Hocus Pocus movies have repeatedly proven, the franchise’s witches are almost impossible to kill. Moreover, Mother Witch seems like she could be even more powerful than the Sanderson sisters themselves.
4 Max
Eerie Indiana star Omri Katz played Max in Hocus Pocus, a sardonic teenager who accidentally unleashed the Sanderson sisters while attempting to impress his love interest. Max was a sweet if foolhardy character and his Halloween night odyssey made for thrilling viewing, so viewers were understandably sad to see him absent from Hocus Pocus 2. While Katz has retired from acting in recent years, the Hocus Pocus star could hopefully be convinced to appear in a Hocus Pocus 3 cameo role. This plot twist would allow the franchise to bring back more of its original heroes.
3 Dani
Thora Birch’s Dani was Max’s bratty younger sister in the original Hocus Pocus. However, like her brother, Dani doesn’t appear in Hocus Pocus 2 to the dismay of many fans of the series. Since Dani was a small child in the original movie, her Hocus Pocus 3 role would undoubtedly be a major departure from her part in Hocus Pocus. By now, Dani could be the parent of some teenage children herself, and it could even be her kids who accidentally revive the Sanderson sisters this time around. Actor Thora Birch recently appeared in The Walking Dead and the movies Above Suspicion and 13 Minutes, meaning she would likely be able to reprise her role.
2 Allison
Max’s Hocus Pocus love interest Allison is a rich local high school girl who turns out to be surprisingly resourceful and resilient as the pair struggle to beat the Sanderson sisters. Played by Vinessa Shaw, Allison is a clever heroine who holds her own against the villains and avoids being saddled with the thankless damsel in distress role. As such, she is perfectly primed for a return in Hocus Pocus 3. Even more than Dani and Max, Allison would likely gel well with Hocus Pocus 2’s Izzy and Becca. This could allow Hocus Pocus 3 to create more links between the movies outside of the personal history of the Sanderson sisters themselves.
1 Gilbert
While Sam Richardson was as charming as ever, Hocus Pocus 2 wasted Gilbert. A magic aficionado, Gilbert was the one who knowingly set up the return of the Sanderson sisters. However, Hocus Pocus 2 never settled on a role for him, with Gilbert switching from a well-meaning nuisance to a minor villain depending on the scene. Thus, Hocus Pocus 3 needs to fix this Hocus Pocus 2 character, perhaps by pairing him up with some of the returning characters from Hocus Pocus.