Should the third film get a theatrical release, it would show that Disney is finally moving off of a stance it had in the early 2020s, and making a smart move overall. In the early 2020s, particularly due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, Disney made the decision to begin releasing a number of films exclusively on streaming platforms. For Disney, this meant a number of high-profile movies, including Pixar films like Soul, Turning Red, Luca, and other non-animated movies like Disenchanted and Hocus Pocus 2, were all relegated to the streaming platform instead of given a typical theatrical release. Hocus Pocus 2 was received with mixed reviews from critics, but largely loved by fans, mostly due to the nostalgia and love of the original 1993 film. Furthermore, the movie—which released in September to capitalize on the Halloween time period—was one of the biggest 'horror' movies of the year. According to research at the time, Hocus Pocus 2 was the most in-demand 'horror' movie in the U.S., and was also the most-streamed movie in the entire country from September 30 to October 2. The film was a massive success and clearly had demand from fans, and while high streaming numbers are looked at favorably by companies like Disney, huge theatrical returns are viewed even more so. Using movies that break out on Disney+ as new projects to get people into the theater is a great way to not only drive more interest in the movie, but also help bolster your own box office numbers for the end of the year, while also being able to still have the movie do well on streaming when it eventually makes its way to Disney+.