‘Hocus Pocus’ Casts Its Spell Again as Halloween’s Biggest Streaming Champion
Every October, a familiar trio of witches flies back onto TV screens across the country, and this year was no exception. Kenny Ortega’s ‘Hocus Pocus’ is a Halloween staple, and the Sanderson sisters have once again shown they have plenty of magic left.
The film’s popularity has come a long way from its rocky start. ‘Hocus Pocus’ got mixed reviews when it first came out and flopped at the box office, reportedly losing Disney around $16.5 million in theaters. Over time, mostly thanks to yearly airings on Disney Channel, it became a Halloween cult classic. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy star as the Sanderson Sisters.
Now the numbers are official. The Hollywood Reporter says this year’s Halloween movie season viewership winner was the 1993 original, along with its 2022 sequel, on Disney+. According to Nielsen’s streaming chart for Oct. 26 to Nov. 1, 2026, ‘Hocus Pocus’ was the No. 1 movie with 405 million minutes viewed on Disney+.
Its sequel joined it in the top 10. ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ placed eighth with 207 million minutes. The original narrowly beat Peacock’s ‘Minions & Monsters’, which pulled in 399 million minutes, while ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ came third with 389 million.
This year’s Halloween movie season viewership winner turned out to be 1993’s ‘Hocus Pocus’ (along with its 2022 sequel) on Disney+. No surprise that a ‘Hocus Pocus 3’ is in the works. Full weekly streaming charts: https://t.co/qQ824t68Ys https://t.co/N3eBbdtiOp
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) November 13, 2026
The witches built momentum all month. During the week of Oct. 12 to 18, ‘Hocus Pocus’ had 209 million minutes and ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ had 173 million, both on Disney+, ranking fifth and seventh among films. By Halloween week, the original had nearly doubled that total.
The same pattern showed up elsewhere. FlixPatrol data showed ‘Hocus Pocus’ and ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ both in the Disney+ top 10 in the United States, with the original reaching No. 1 on Oct. 12 and the sequel close behind at No. 5. Nielsen’s ratings only count viewing on television sets, not computers or mobile devices, so the real audience may be even larger.
The new trailer for ‘HOCUS POCUS 2’ has been released. #D23Expo The film releases on September 30 on Disney+ https://t.co/LxDV28lM4y
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 9, 2022
The 2022 follow-up has been part of the franchise’s success too. The legacy sequel broke records on the Nielsen Top 10 streaming charts, with 2.7 billion minutes viewed in its opening weekend. ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ also received 3 Primetime Emmy nominations, including one for Outstanding Television Movie.
With numbers like these, it’s no surprise that Disney is planning another chapter. In May 2026, Deadline reported that ‘Hocus Pocus 3’ is officially in early development from Disney Live Action Studios, with Midler, Parker and Najimy returning as the Sanderson sisters. Disney EVP of Production Jessica Virtue is overseeing the project.
The biggest change may be where it debuts. There are plans for a theatrical release this time, after ‘Hocus Pocus 2’ went straight to Disney+. Disney first announced a third film in 2023, but it was left in limbo after former studio chief Sean Bailey left in 2024.
The cast is clearly excited to get back on their broomsticks. “Where Bette goes, I go,” Sarah Jessica Parker told Variety, adding that Midler is “like a 13-year-old girl with a new bike.” Midler has also said she read an early draft of the script and thought much of it was brilliant.
She added that the team was still working out the logistics, including the cost. Plot details are still unknown, and Disney has not set a release date. Until then, fans will keep bringing the Sanderson sisters back every October. If this year’s streaming numbers are any indication, the third film will have a huge audience waiting.
Are you excited to see the Sanderson sisters return for ‘Hocus Pocus 3’?
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