Bette Midler

Stockard Channing, Maggie Smith, Rob Reiner, Marcia Gay Harden, Victor Garberm Timothy Olyphant, J.K. Simmons, Jon Stewart, and Gloria Steinem also starred.

[Diane Keaton](https://www.indiewire.com/t/diane-keaton/), and [Goldie Hawn](https://www.indiewire.com/t/goldie-hawn/) as a trio of jilted women who seek revenge on their respective former spouses. “Diane [Keaton] called me and said, ‘We’ve got to do this,'” Hawn said at the time of the follow-up. The series premiered in 2019 and has been renewed for a third season. “I really felt that it was a pretty serious diss, because when women have hits, it’s a fluke. But when men have hits, isn’t it great? [Bette Midler](https://www.indiewire.com/t/bette-midler/) is finally revealing why “ [The First Wives Club](https://www.indiewire.com/t/the-first-wives-club/)” didn’t get a second shot.

'Hocus Pocus' actress and singer Bette Midler married her husband Martin Von Haselberg on December 16, 1984. Read about their marriage and kids.

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On September 30, 2022, just in time for the start of the Halloween season, director Anne Fletcher's "Hocus Pocus 2" premiered on Disney+.

Sadly, a couple of frustrating factors ensured a second "First Wives Club" film didn't come to pass. [People](https://people.com/movies/bette-midler-says-it-broke-my-heart-there-was-no-first-wives-club-sequel/) in 2022, gender biases hurt the chances of "First Wives Club 2" getting made. At least that's what they told us on 'First Wives.'" Goldie Hawn corroborated this claim in an interview with [AARP](https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/newsmakers/info-2006/goldie_luxe.html), touching on the financials of such a film. Case in point: the 1996 comedy, "First Wives Club," which features Bette Midler herself in a leading role. It shouldn't surprise anyone that a second "Hocus Pocus" flick arrived in 2022, bearing in mind that sequels are all the rage these days. While [far from a home run reception-wise](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/hocus_pocus_2), it has proven a fun nostalgia trip for those who adored the 1993 film that started it all.

Hocus Pocus 2's director, Bette Midler, & Kathy Najimy shared how the sequel was a dream come true, changing the costumes, and the musical numbers.

She’s just one of the best people, one of the best directors and one of the best artists, ever in the world. In the 1600s, that version of witchcraft was tethered to the earth, the ocean, and the stars, all tied together. MIDLER: We talked a lot about sisterhood, and we talked a lot about leaning on each other and counting on each other and having loyalty to each other. NAJIMY: And there’s very little hesitation in our ideas and the things that we’re gonna do. In any situation where women are together, a bond of friendship and sisterhood is really, really important. And I think these three characters are really, in a strange and odd way, quite positive for women. They did the arrangement and the lyrics. And he said, “Because I love Hocus Pocus.” I was like, “All right. FLETCHER: The mission, in general, is the story, honoring the first movie, carrying that into the sequel, making sure that I’m honoring these characters for the fans, and bringing it into a new generation. I didn’t feel like I could compete with “I Put a Spell on You,” which Bette and Marc Shaiman wrote. When a teenager lights the Black Flame Candle, the 17th-century troublemakers are resurrected to run amok and continue wreaking havoc all over Salem before the end of All Hallow’s Eve, leaving a trail of mayhem in their renewed quest for immortality. After I realized it was actually a phenomenon, I started asking people around my age, “Don’t you think they would be interested in a sequel?” This was a long time ago.

"Hocus Pocus 2" brings the return of the Sanderson sisters played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

"And I think also when it came on TV, it was more accessible to the whole family over and over," Najimy added. And the only thing that was absolutely certain was we were gonna eat sardines in that green room every damn day," said Midler. "Oh, my whole family thought so. Well, how do I walk or how do I move or how do I rest my hands here?" We were in a bubble, but the bubble was so full of unpredictability. On Friday, Disney released "Hocus Pocus 2" on their Disney+ streaming service.

Hocus Pocus 2 stars Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy on returning to their iconic characters after nearly 30 years—and the possibility of another sequel.

And so, like, to get to be in the movie as a fan of the movie from growing up and getting to watch these three and Doug, as a fan in my eyes and watching myself, it’s so many levels of inception. So, if Hocus Pocus 2 repeats the success of its predecessor, can we expect to see a Hocus Pocus 3 anytime soon? “I do love a franchise,” she said. Gilbert is a big fan of the Sanderson sisters, which was something Richardson and his character had in common. “I was 32 when I played him the first time. “So I’ve been a fan of the movie since it was in theaters, you know? And there he is on set in his costume and I’m like, ‘Nice to meet you. He was such a fan of the original Hocus Pocus that he said yes to the project before even meeting with director Anne Fletcher. “There’s very little hesitation in our ideas and the things that we’re going to do,” Najimy added. [Hocus Pocus 2](https://www.avclub.com/film/reviews/hocus-pocus-2-2022) harnesses the powers of nostalgia, camp, and sentimentality to add to the lore of the Halloween classic starring Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah-Jessica Parker as a trio of wacky witches. “We’re like, this is what we have to get done. But I think in a funny way, their bond is very, very strong.