Fans of the Sister Act franchise have been anticipating the release of a third film since Whoopi Goldberg began discussing that the sequel was in development way back in 2017. There have been a few starts and stops on the project over the years, but significant movement has been made on Sister Act 3 over the last few years, with work on the screenplay making progress. Unfortunately, the passing of one of the previous films’ stars has affected how the screenplay was being shaped, and Goldberg reveals they are now making “adjustments.”
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Goldberg began talking about Sister Act 3 and how the film’s screenplay had to change following the death of Dame Maggie Smith, who starred alongside the actress in 1992’s Sister Act and its 1993 sequel, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, as Reverend Mother Superior. Based on Goldberg’s comments, Smith was included in the third film’s story, and now they’re adjusting their plans a bit following her death. The actress revealed:
“We’re having to make some adjustments because we just lost Maggie Smith, as you know. And so, we will get it done. We will get it done. It’s a shift.”
Goldberg had previously mentioned that Smith did have a role in Sister Act 3 back in 2023. At the time, the actress said she was “holding the part of Mother Superior” for the acclaimed British actress and stated they would shoot whenever it was best for Smith, who had been in ailing health in the later years of her life but still working, most memorably as Violet Crawly on the two Downton Abbey films based on the popular British series that earned the actress three Primetime Emmy Awards.
Whoopi Goldberg & Dame Maggie Smith Helped Turn Sister Act Into a Signature ’90s Comedy
Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith first came together in Sister Act, a film that saw The Color Purple actress portraying Deloris Wilson-Van Cartier, a lounge singer who is forced to join a convent in the guise of Sister Mary Clarence after being put in the witness protection program following witnessing the execution of an informant. In addition to Goldberg and Smith, the film also stars Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, Mary Wickes and Harvey Keitel.
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Sister Act went on to be one of the most successful comedies of its era, grossing $231 million globally on a $31 million budget. While the film never hit number one at the box office, it placed in second position for four consecutive weeks against Lethal Weapon 3, Patriot Games, and Batman Returns. By the end of the year, it became the eighth-highest-grossing film worldwide of 1992, and it was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Goldberg.
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit followed a year later and saw Goldberg returning as Sister Mary Clarence to help her fellow nuns, including Smith’s Mother Superior, save St. Francis High School in San Francisco. The sequel was less commercially successful, grossing $125 million worldwide on a $38 million budget, but it has gone on to become a cult classic because of its energetic musical numbers and for featuring future stars such as Jennifer Love Hewitt, the Fugees’ Lauryn Hill, Erica Campbell of gospel duo Mary Mary and Ryan Toby of the group City High.
