Ever since it was announced in 2018 that a third Sister Act movie would premiere on Disney+, development has been underway. Unfortunately, the upcoming movie will be without beloved actress Maggie Smith, who was known for playing Mother Superior in the two previous films. Following the film legend’s death at the age of 89 back in September, its star, Whoopi Goldberg, explained what the loss of Smith means in the midst of developing the upcoming Disney movie.
Sister Act was one of Maggie Smith’s best movies. She played the firm, yet wholehearted Mother Superior who looked out for the nuns at St. Katherine’s Convent. While she and lounge singer Delores Van Cartier didn’t hit it off right away as she went into hiding at the convent disguised as a nun, they eventually grew a bond that followed into Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
Sadly, after Smith's death, we won’t get to see her reprise her memorable role. On The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Delores’ Whoopi Goldberg spoke about what losing the Harry Potter actress means for the development of Sister Act 3:
We’re having to make some readjustments because we just lost Maggie Smith, as you know. We will get it done, it just is a shift.
It’s a real shame that the death of Maggie Smith means we won't see her reprise Mother Superior in the third movie. I wonder if this means they’ll recast the role or have the treasured head nun pass away. I would have loved to see Mother Superior and Delores’ relationship continue and witness what other shenanigans the pair would get into the third time around. I’ll never forget the scene in Sister Act 2 when Delores and Mother Superior reunited in the convent so happy to see each other. Her absence will certainly be felt, as Goldberg and Smith’s chemistry brought warmth and humor into one of the best ‘90s comedies.
During the development stages of Sister Act 3, it was always the plan for Whoopi Goldberg to put Maggie Smith back in the habit. The Color Purple actress sent out a heartfelt appeal to the Academy Award winner about not wanting to do a third movie without her. Re-reading this touching message after Maggie Smith's death brings me all sorts of devastation knowing the film will have to continue without the famed actress’s appearance. Among a number of endearing tributes to Smith, Whoopi Goldberg chimed in by saying how lucky she was that she got to work with a “one-of-a-kind” star. I’m sure she’ll be incredibly missed by the Sister Act cast and all those fortunate enough to know her.
It may take some readjusting for Whoopi Goldberg and the people working on Sister Act 3 to continue developing the new movie without Maggie Smith. However, with a strong cast and crew, I’m confident they’ll honor her legacy in putting together a long-awaited threequel the Triple Crown of Acting performer would be proud of. Until news comes out on Sister Act 3’s release date, you can relive Smith and Goldberg being a dynamic duo in the first two Sister Act movies on your Disney+ subscription.
