Throw split salt over your left shoulder, keep rosemary by your garden gate, and plant lavender for luck because the Owens sisters are back! Warner Bros announced this week that a sequel to 1998’s best spooky melodrama Practical Magic is in the works. They’re currently “in talks” with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman to reprise their roles as Sally and Gillian, the sister witches with a family curse that kills any man that a woman in their family loves. Practical Magical is based on a book by Alice Hoffman, which is part of a four-part series with two prequels and one sequel, 2021’s “The Book of Magic.” There’s no word on whether or not the movie sequel will be based on “The Book of Magic” or a completely different storyline.
After 26 years the Owens women are returning. Warner Bros. announced a followup film to the 1998 classic, “Practical Magic,” with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in talks to return.
The first movie starred Bullock and Kidman as the witchy Owens sisters, who get wrapped in supernatural coverup after Bullock (unintentionally) drugs and kills Kidman’s abusive ex-boyfriend (Goran Višnjić) forcing them to reanimate his corpse. Directed by Griffin Dunne and adapted from the 1995 novel of the same name by Alice Hoffman, the original film stands as a beloved, spooky season staple for people who are really into crystals.
Akiva Goldsman will write the screenplay for the new movie, with Bullock and Kidman expected to produce alongside Denise Di Novi.
Fans began buzzing about the future of “Practical Magic” on Sunday, when an announcement was made at midnight on TikTok — a nod to the “midnight margaritas” scene from the first film — that the film was now available on digital and available to stream on Max. But the big news was saved for Monday morning, where it was revealed that “Practical Magic 2” was officially in the works.
Back in 2019, HBO Max was pursuing a “Practical Magic” spinoff series, “Rules of Magic,” based on Hoffman’s prequel novel. That series eventually disappeared into the Hollywood ether, but the fandom lives on.
The film follows the women from the Owens family, a group of magically inclined, spellcasting ladies who are blessed with the supernatural gift but cursed by their matriarch. After being abandoned by her lover, pregnant and alone, Maria Owens cast a spell upon herself that she would never again feel the agony of love. According to “Practical Magic” lore and cast member Stockard Channing, “As her bitterness grew, the spell turned into a curse. A curse on any man who dared love an Owens woman.” Enter Bullock and Kidman, two sisters hellbent on breaking that curse and freeing themselves from a lifetime of malicious gossip from their townsfolk.
The original film is stuffed with its own kind of magic from the pitch-perfect Alan Silvestri score (the first giveaway at Warner Bros. tease earlier this week online) to the way Dunne filmed the Owens paranormal acts, well, practically. Plus, the soundtrack is loaded with actual witchy geniuses including Stevie Nicks’ re-recording of “Crystal” and “If You Ever Did Believe” along with Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You.”
I know, I know. We’re not supposed to be excited for yet another reboot of a decades-old property, but I can’t help it. While I fully admit that we don’t need this movie, I am kinda excited. I love Practical Magic. I actually rewatched it two years ago, when I rewatched Hocus Pocus to prepare for its sequel to come out. Which, speaking of, while I liked HP2, I admit that it was mainly nostalgia talking because that movie was pretty mid, lol. But at least it’s helping me temper expectations for Beatlejuice Beatlejuice and now, Practical Magic 2. It’s not like any of these movies were theatrical masterpieces the first time around, lol.
“The Book of Magic” includes all three generations of Owens women, so I wonder if Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest would be down to revive Aunt Franny and Aunt Jet. It would also be rad if Evan Rachel Wood got on board to reprise her role as Sally’s oldest daughter, Kylie. I’m rooting for an ensemble movie involving all three generations drinking midnight margaritas and casting spells.
photos credit: United Archives/Impress / Avalon, Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
I loved Practical Magic! And although I keep complaining about sequels, I will be there for it! 😄
Me too. I love Practical Magic. It reminded me of my youth. I lived in a poor non-English speaking country when it came out. I was in middle school at the time. Our country imported the film but I wasn’t able to watch at the theatre at the time because my parents thought these entertainment would destract my school study. But they did subscribe weekly TV guide and our TV guide had this column that would write a long summary of a movie that was screened at the time. I latched on it every weekend. This is my only way of encountering American culture at the time. I “watched” a lot of Hollywood movies via this way, like Practical Magic, Anaconda 1/2, Titanic, Batman and Robin, etc. Only years later when I was in college was I able to rent VCDs of these films at our local video store. Ah, the memory. I will sure be watching this one.
Add me to the advanced ticket list! I absolutely loved “Practical Magic” when it was released and thought Sandra and Nicole had incredible chemistry as sisters. I loved how they mirrored Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest, who played the two aunts, in being total polar opposites in looks and personality. I hope they cast the sequel as well as they did the first film. 🙂
Same. I’m very much here for this to happen. I have a gaggle of girlfriends who watch this together every few years. It’s great fun
I’m not ashamed to say I loved this movie.
Same! They can have my money! I would also love it if Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest came back. Bring back all the Owens witches and Margo Martindale! Aidan Quinn can come back too but really I’m here for the witches.
I almost forgot that Camilla Belle was in it! The very one that Taylor Swift later heartlessly dragged in that infamous diss track.
I’m going to look for the original because I’ve never seen it!
Stockard Channing said, at the time of the WW reboot ep that she wasn’t going to be in it because she doesn’t look back, so I think she’d be a question mark.
@Wagiman, please watch the original.imo It’s a movie worth watching. I hope Stockard Channing survives what she’s going through. Love her & Weist? as the Aunties.
If you admire Stockard Channing, watch The Girl Most Likely To……amazing. Stockard is an unfair combatant. She excels so many characters well.
In the meantime..I’m looking forward to this movie and hope Aidan Quinn is in it. I can’t count how many times I’ve watched the original moviel Can say rosemary, lavender & salt have been ever present in our garden. And, yes, I’ve been laughed at for throwing salt over my shoulder in front of neighbors.lol Kind of don’t care.
“The Girl Most Likely to…” was ahead of its time. Terrific movie…
I love this movie! Was there anyone more beautiful than Aidan Quinn in it? My goodness.
I’m not sure I’d watch this new one though. I dearly love Sandra Bullock movies (even Murder by Number), but I have a hard time with Nicole Kidman.
I don’t enjoy her anymore, I have a hard time seeing al the surgery. It’s such a shame she was so lovely.
I feel the same way about Nicole now, her face is a distraction
I had such a crush on Aidan Quinn because of this movie, LOL.
I was thinking the same thing about Nicole. Her expressions in Practical Magic are so funny and quirky and show such personality and it was such a fun role for her. I can’t imagine her doing that now.
I saw this when it came out with a group of girlfriends in the theater and we loved it. I don’t think I’ve seen it since, but this makes me nostalgic. I’m not sure I need a sequel though—it would be great to have movies featuring older female actors not based on something they did before, especially because if it’s not a box office success, then it will take ages to get another female-centric film like this one. I feel similarly towards The Princess Bride; it’s okay to have stand-alone films.
As I told my best friend when I saw the news, if Aidan the sheriff isn’t in this I will cry the whole time. I love the movie, watched it all through college (I have red hair, BFF is brunette) and I want to show it to my girls but the DV bit is too scary right now. If they screw this up I’ll never refer to it again.
My favorite anecdote about this movie was that Barbara Streisand reached out because she wanted to buy the house that was in the movie, only to find out it was only a prop facade 😢
I too would also love that house, and kitchen, and the little shop at the end. I can rewatch the original any time just for the ambience.
I love their house!
That house is a character in its own right in that movie. I know people love Nancy Meyers’ kitchens, but the Practical Magic house (kitchen/garden/attic/bedrooms/EVERYTHING) is just so awesome.
I LOVE the house, too! There is a website called Hooked on Houses that rabbit holed me into the stories behind all the best movie houses. But this one is my absolute all-time favorite.
I actually had never seen Practical Magic until last fall, when I watched it with some girlfriends on a girls weekend in October. It was MARVELOUS and I am itching for fall to watch it again. I would LOVE for a sequel!
I kind of hope they do something different than the book- the sequel has some pretty sad parts. But Kylie plays a bigger role . Don’t want to spoil it .
I love Practical Magic still. I still cry at the end, every time.
Love, friendship, self-acceptance, mistakes, forgiveness, ride or die support and the unexpected ways dreams can come true. And almost entirely women centered? Its such a little treasure of a movie. I’ll take it over so many ‘theatrical masterpieces’ any day.
I would watch this!! I loved PM, no reservations or criticisms. You put the lime in the coconut….
I am fully stoked for this!!
I LOVE Practical Magic, it is my annual Halloween movie!!! I hope the sequel is just as good. Casting spells for Evan Rachel Wood to return as the daughter!!!
OH YAAAY! Loved Practical Magic!!!
love love love love love this movie!! And these two!! Have no idea what this will be like but can’t wait to see it.
They better rebuild that house, is all i am saying.
Yes, please.
If SB and NK are on board as producers, they’ll make sure to get the look and the feel right, including the story, and their co-stars.
I’m cautiously optimistic and will be keeping my fingers crossed.
Oh please let this be true with everyone back with a good story!
I was going to say, wait a minute, what about Aiden Quinn. Yes, agree with everyone about Quinn. They can’t not bring that beautiful man back. And he is such a good actor. He just doesn’t do enough work. His acting is so compelling and understated. And did I mention how handsome he is. I think he gets better with age. I read once that he has an autistic daughter. Also agree with Nicole’s plastic surgery. It is very distracting. She was so lovely. Wish she had aged naturally, but if you are that beautiful, it may be hard to let it go. Although, without surgery, she might have aged, but I bet she would have been naturally beautiful but naturally aged with time. We’ll never know. Love Sandra Bullock.
One of my all time favourite movies – I watch it yearly. It was directed by Griffin Dunne and I’m wondering if he’s in talks to do the sequel, because I really do think that magical “I want to live in this world” feeling the movie has is partially down to him. One of the things that makes Practical Magic so good (but also what ends up getting derided in it’s bad reviews) is that it is genre-bending – is it a rom com, a horror, a sexy thriller, a crime noir, a family feel good, a tragedy? It sort of combines them all. Man, I just love it. I’m stoked for a sequel if they do it right.