If you’ve spent the last 28 years doing a spell to bring back Practical Magic, then good news: it finally worked! The 1998 witch-fest was not a critical hit on release, but has since become a cult favourite – not least because of its pairing of Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as sibling witches, the Owens sisters, and its blending of cosy fantasy and darker dramatic elements. Now, they’re back for a sequel that sees the sisters forced to truly reckon with their familial legacy as the younger generation becomes embroiled in the magic. Check out the trailer:
Where Practical Magic was based on Alice Hoffman’s novel of the same name, Practical Magic 2 adapts her 2021 sequel novel The Book Of Magic – while Akiva Goldsman is back on script writing duties, this time alongside Veep and Succession’s Georgia Pritchett. In the director’s chair is Susanne Bier, who previously directed Bullock in Bird Box, and worked with Kidman on series The Untold and The Perfect Couple. New additions to the cast include Lee Pace, Maisie Williams – and Joey King, as the daughter of Bullock’s Sally. Oh, and yes: Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest are returning too.
Will Practical Magic 2 win the critics round, and please existing fans too? We’ll find out when it’s conjured into cinemas on September 11.
