Why Disney never made a Halloweentown 5 can be confusing given how popular the first four Halloweentown movies were. Although the fourth entry in the witchy franchise, 2006’s Return to Halloweentown, wasn’t well-received, the series as a whole has endured for 25 years. Every October, the Halloweentown movies see a seasonal surge in popularity. In fact, tuning into the Halloweentown films on the Disney Channel — and, more recently, Disney+ — is an annual tradition for many. Even though it’s been nearly two decades since the final film’s release, there’s an abiding excitement for Halloweentown, making it a Disney property that’s primed for a streaming revival.
In the original 1998 outing, Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown) learns that she comes from a long line of powerful witches and, against her mom’s wishes, follows her grandmother, Aggie Cromwell (Debbie Reynolds), to the magical refuge of Halloweentown in order to start her training. After banding together with her family to save the titular town, Marnie returns in the Halloweentown sequels to hone her magic and use the Cromwell coven’s powers for good. That said, of all the things that make no sense about the Halloweentown franchise, the lack of a fifth entry in the series is, perhaps, the most glaring.
Disney Never Confirmed Plans For Halloweentown 5
Despite interest from fans as well as former members of Halloweentown‘s cast and crew, Disney never confirmed plans for a fifth entry in the franchise. However, even though Halloweentown 5 was never made official — or officially commented on by the media titan — speculation has swirled for years about filmmakers returning to Halloweentown in Oregon in order to shoot a new installment. Sheri Singer, the executive producer of the Halloweentown series, has tried pitching a fifth film in the past, but it didn’t happen.
There are plenty of hurdles Halloweentown 5 would have to overcome. For starters, Debbie Reynolds passed away in 2016, so the franchise would have to move on without Aggie Cromwell. Moreover, many original cast members are no longer actors, which presents its own challenges. On the other hand, Kimberly J. Brown, who starred in the first three movies before Marnie was recast in Return to Halloweentown, remains passionate about the Halloweentown fandom, raising the question of who would play the character in a possible fifth installment.
Why Halloweentown 5 Can Still Work
Given that Kimberly J. Brown has expressed interest in reprising her iconic role in a fifth movie, Halloweentown 5 can still work. With renewed interest in the franchise each Halloween season — and the fact that viewers can watch all four Halloweentown movies on Disney+ — it would make sense to revive the franchise. After all, thanks to the wonders of the streaming age, 1993’s Hocus Pocus finally landed a sequel in 2022. A fifth Halloweentown movie could see an adult Marnie ushering in a new age of Cromwell magic as she trains her own kids. Plus, Reynolds’ real-life granddaughter Billie Lourd has been known to honor her late family members by joining projects they once led.
