As Disney+ continues to brew up Hocus Pocus 3, Thora Birch, who played the spirited Dani Dennison in the 1993 original, says she’s ready to return to Salem if given the chance.
In a recent chat with Entertainment Tonight, Birch revealed her enthusiasm about reprising her beloved role. “Yeah, I’d like to know what they land on for how Dani wound up,” she said. “I’m super open to the idea.”
Birch was just 11 when she starred alongside Omri Katz and Vinessa Shaw as the Dennison siblings in the first Hocus Pocus. Though the film was considered a flop when it hit theatres, it later gained cult status, something Birch recalls with fondness and humour. “It was so devastating when it first came out. It was such a bomb, and we were all bummed because we loved making it,” she shared. “We were like, ‘What, you don’t like it?’ And then ten years later, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, are you that girl from Hocus Pocus?’”
The franchise saw a major revival in 2022 with Hocus Pocus 2, which reunited Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the iconic Sanderson sisters. The sequel became a streaming sensation, amassing 2.7 billion minutes watched during its debut weekend on Disney+. However, the original Dennison siblings were notably absent.
Now, with a third instalment officially in development, Birch says she’s hopeful but realistic about the possibilities. “They like talking about this stuff, so we’ll see,” she said, leaving the door open for her return.
Meanwhile, Midler herself has teased exciting progress on the project. During a recent appearance on Watch What Happens Live, the actress revealed she had read an early draft of the script. “They sent a script, and a lot of it was brilliant,” Midler shared. “I got very excited, and now we’re trying to figure out what it is, where it’s going to be, and how much it’s going to cost – all those logistical things.”
