Best Witchy Trios in Pop Culture

The Sanderson Sisters came back this year to wreak havoc once again in Hocus Pocus 2! While these three hapless witches have become pop culture icons, they are far from the only trio of witches that we have come to know and love over the years. Witches often appear in threes, to represent the Maiden, Mother, and Crone of folklore.

Whether they are soul-sucking embodiments of evil (like the Sandersons) or crystal-charging good witches out to save the day, we love these magical women. Celebrate Halloween with this list of witchy trios.

The Once And Future Witches by Alix E Harrow

The Once And Future Witches is a perfect example of the use of a trio to represent the Maiden, Mother, and Crone, through three sisters in New Salem in 1893. Part magical fantasy, part historical fiction, this beautiful story speaks about magic, feminism, sisterhood, love, and power. Unlike Hocus Pocus, The Once And Future Witches doesn’t rely on comedy, and the sisters themselves are estranged at the start of the book, which makes their journey of coming together and apart all the more powerful.

Toil and Trouble by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson

The only nonfiction read on this list, Toil and Trouble: A Women’s History of the Occult doesn’t look at one specific trio of witches, but at forgotten witches throughout time. Covering different ways that women have used witchcraft over the years—for power, for fame, for money, or for personal development, Toil and Trouble charts some of the magical pioneers of witches past, present…and where witchcraft may be headed in the future.

Macbeth’s Three Witches (Shakespeare)

Possibly the most famous original trio of witchy women appear in Macbeth, and are also known as the Weird Sisters. These are the women who dance around a cauldron, dispense prophecies, and create potions and problems. These are also the witches responsible for some of the most famous “witchy” lines in pop culture, including “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble!” Sadly, they are also somewhat responsible for some of the most negative stereotypes about witches, too.

The Witches of Eastwick

Unlike many witchy trios, Alex, Jane, and Suki don’t realize that they have any power at all. In fact, this cult classic movie starts with the women feeling absolutely powerless to create change in their lives. However, in classic witchy fashion, it’s a dark and stormy night when the discover that they have far more power than they thought. With a star-studded cast, this phenomenal horror-comedy has a lot to appeal to fans of Hocus Pocus, well beyond the central three witches.

The Rules Of Magic by Alice Hoffman

While Hoffman may be better known for another witchy book-turned-film, Practical Magic, The Rules of Magic is a prequel, and one that focuses on a trio of magical siblings, rather than a pair. Franny, Jet, and Vincent are brought up without magic—but no fear of it will prevent them coming into their own power. Set in the ’60s, between New York and Massachusetts, this trio explores the cost of magic, and the bond between siblings—as well as the rarely-seen male witch!

Which are your favorite witchy trios in pop culture? Tweet @quirkbooks and let us know!