With the Halloween spooky season just around the corner, writer Jen D’Angelo opened up about her highly-anticipated sequel Hocus Pocus 3.
The original Hocus Pocus was released in 1993 starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters, three witches transported to the 1990s.
The original film quickly gained cult classic status, despite earning just $50 milllion at the box office.
29 years after the original, Hocus Pocus 2 debuted on Disney Plus, bringing back the Sanderson sisters and introduces Hannah Waddingham’s Mother Witch.
D’Angelo, who wrote Hocus Pocus 2 as well, revealed Waddingham – who stars in Apple TV Plus’ Home For Christmas – told EW that the sequel could expand her role.
Sequel: With the Halloween spooky season just around the corner, writer Jen D’Angelo opened up about her highly-anticipated sequel Hocus Pocus 3
Expands: 29 years after the original, Hocus Pocus 2 debuted on Disney Plus , bringing back the Sanderson sisters and introduces Hannah Waddingham ‘s Mother Witch
‘We’re still in the story phase, we’re still working on it,’ D’Angelo began, with the writer likely only recently getting back to work after the WGA strike ended.
‘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,’ she added.
D’Angelo added, ‘We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s Mother Witch.’
She added, though, that no storylines are set in stone at this point, adding that she and Disney are still exploring what to do next.
Waddingham’s Mother Witch is first seen in the Hocus Pocus 2 prologue, set in 1600s Salem, where she gives the young Sanderson sisters their beloved book.
When asked if Mother Witch is the same mother the sisters reference in he original film, D’Angelo believes it is.
‘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,’ D’Angelo said, adding, ‘But, maybe we will see.’
The writer admitted that, ‘anything’s on the table’ for the sequel, adding, ‘we for sure want to see them again as adults.’
Anything: The writer admitted that, ‘anything’s on the table’ for the sequel, adding, ‘ we for sure want to see them again as adults.’
Surface: D’Angelo added, ‘We’ve only scratched the surface of Hannah Waddingham’s Mother Witch’
Believe: ‘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,’ D’Angelo said, adding, ‘But, maybe we will see’
Still, she enjoyed the performances of he young actors so much that she hopes they are back as well.
‘I’m hoping that we are able to explore every aspect of these stories and take these characters on a bunch of fun adventures,’ D’Angelo said.
‘3 is still very much in the early stages, 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,’ she added.
‘I want to do right by the fans and I definitely want to keep in mind what they want to see, but, at the same time, I feel like movies can go slightly awry when they’re only catering to the fans and trying to check off a list, like, ‘We got this and this, so the fans should be happy,”‘ D’Angelo admits.
‘In reality, you want to make sure that the movie is solid on its own, and the fan service moments are baked into the story and that they’re satisfying and not just tacked on,’ she admitted.