The ending of Hocus Pocus 2 was quite divisive, but it actually sets up a better final film than it might seem. Disney has at least one movie for every occasion, and one of its most popular titles for the Halloween season is Hocus Pocus. Directed by Kenny Ortega, Hocus Pocus introduced the Sanderson Sisters – Winnifred (Bette Midler), Mary (Kathy Najimy), and Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker) –, three witches who cast a spell before their execution in 1693, which allowed them to return in 1993 after Max Dennison (Omri Katz) lit the Black Flame Candle during a full moon on Halloween night.
Although the Sanderson Sisters were defeated at the end of Hocus Pocus, they were brought back for a long-awaited sequel simply titled Hocus Pocus 2. Thanks to a new Black Flame Candle, two teenagers – Becca (Whitney Peak) and Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) – were tricked into lighting it on Halloween night, thus resurrecting the legendary sisters. This time, however, instead of looking to take the life force of the children of Salem to continue living after Halloween, the Sanderson Sisters decided to cast the Magicae Maxima spell to become all-powerful. Unfortunately, Hocus Pocus 2 gave a disappointing ending to the Sanderson Sisters, but the post-credits scene sets up a third movie that could fix the biggest complaints about Hocus Pocus 2.
How Hocus Pocus 2 Sets Up Hocus Pocus 3
Unbeknownst to the Sanderson Sisters, the Magicae Maxima spell came with a big price: whoever casts it must give up what they cherish most. Unfortunately for Winifred, this meant that the price for becoming all-powerful was Mary and Sarah, who faded to dust in front of her. Completely vulnerable, Winifred asked Becca, Izzy, and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) to use their newfound powers to save her sisters, but the solution was sending Winifred to reunite with them, so she vanished too.
By the end of Hocus Pocus 2, Becca, Izzy, and Cassie had become a coven, and the post-credits scene revealed that Gilbert (Sam Richardson) has another Black Flame Candle, meaning the Sanderson Sisters can be resurrected again. Now, the girls, and mostly Becca, who showed more magical abilities than the rest, have no guidance now that they discovered their abilities, so Hocus Pocus 3 could see the return of the Sanderson Sisters now as mentors of these girls.
Hocus Pocus 3 Could Fix Every Hocus Pocus 2 Complaint
Some of the biggest complaints about Hocus Pocus 2 were that the Sanderson Sisters weren’t evil enough and that the new characters were uninteresting and underdeveloped. Hocus Pocus 3 could fix these problems by bringing the Sanderson Sisters back to teach Becca and company as their successors, but as always, everything comes with a price. The deal between the Sanderson Sisters and Becca’s coven could see the sisters go back to their evil roots, while the new coven uses their new knowledge to defeat their mentors. At the time of writing, Hocus Pocus 3 hasn’t been confirmed, and it doesn’t seem to be happening anytime soon, but there’s definitely potential for a third movie.