When news broke that Sister Act 3 would be made for Disney+, one couldn’t help but wonder which of the franchise's OG stars would return. It’s a given that Whoopi Goldberg would get back in the habit as Delores Van Cartier for the third installment, but would Maggie Smith return as Mother Superior? Goldberg is still trying to get the ball rolling on the long-awaited threequel but, all the while, she's making it known that she wants Smith to once again star alongside her.
The original Sister Act is one of Maggie Smith’s best movies, and it saw her play the strict, yet loving, Mother Superior. The nun made it her mission to protect her fellow sisters and Delores, who was hiding away from her mobster boyfriend. When Loose Women’s Judi Love interviewed her idol Whoopi Goldberg about the upcoming third movie, the Oscar winner directed a sweet message towards Smith, and it sounds like she's willing to get her in the movie however necessary:
I want to let Maggie Smith know that I'm holding the part of Mother Superior for you, because I just can't do it with anybody but you. So, if you need me to come over here and shoot it and do whatever we have to do, we will do whatever you want us to do. But we don't want to do it without you, Maggie.
I believe Sister Act 3 wouldn’t be the same without Maggie Smith, as her and Whoopi Goldberg’s chemistry was spot on in those first two movies. In the original 1992 film, Mother Superior and Delores had an antagonistic relationship, as the former had negative opinions about the Las Vegas singer's approach to their convent's choir. But in time, the two found common ground and, by the 1993 sequel, they'd become even closer.
So far, an official cast list has yet to be revealed for the latest film. All we know right now -- other than the apparent casting of Goldberg -- is that Tyler Perry will be producing it with her. Better Nate Than Ever's Tim Federle was also brought on as the film's director. Kathy Najimy has expressed interest in the past in returning as Sister Mary Patrick, and Keke Palmer is angling for a role as well. Speaking of Najimy, Goldberg has admitted that Hocus Pocus 2 contributed to the new movie's conception.
When it comes to the 88-year-old Maggie Smith, she's kept herself busy during the past several. years. Last year, her Smith appeared in final Downton Abbey: A New Era, and she now has a couple of film projects on her plate like The Miracle Club. She's also set to reprise her stage role of Brunhilde Pomsel in the big-screen adaptation of A German Life. As this brilliant actress isn’t retiring any time soon, let’s cross our fingers that the next installment of Sister Act will become part of her plans soon. Honestly, a third movie would feel incomplete without the stage and screen legend.
To get up to speed before the third movie, you can watch the first Sister Act installments using a Disney+ subscription. Also, check out CinemaBlend's schedule of 2023 new movie releases for info on what's arriving on the big screen this year.
