Key Takeaways

  • Practical Magic 2 hits theaters September 18, 2026, reuniting Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the Owens sisters almost 30 years after the original.
  • The sequel is based on Alice Hoffman’s novel “The Book of Magic” and brings back Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing alongside newcomers Joey King, Lee Pace, and Maisie Williams.
  • I’m cautiously in. Legacy sequels miss more than they hit, but getting both original leads and both aunts back is the part that actually matters.

Jump to:

Practical Magic wasn’t a hit when it came out in 1998. It bombed, actually. Then it found its way onto cable every October for the next 25 years and turned into one of those movies everybody’s mom owns on DVD. I’ve watched it more times than I’ll admit. So when I heard Warner Bros. was bringing Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman back as the Owens sisters, I had feelings about it immediately.

Why I Care About a Witch Movie From 1998 Getting a Sequel

Sandra Bullock is already having a moment right now. She’s been out doing press talking about dating again, three years after losing her partner Bryan Randall, and that’s put her back in the news cycle right as this movie is about to land. That timing isn’t nothing. People are paying attention to her again for real reasons, not just marketing, and Practical Magic 2 is walking into theaters with that goodwill already built in.

The Cast Is Stacked

Bullock and Kidman are both back as Sally and Gillian Owens, which was never a guarantee with a legacy sequel this far removed from the original. The bigger win for me is that Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing are returning as the aunts. Those two stole every scene they were in the first time around, and if the sequel leans into them even a little, it’s already ahead of most nostalgia cash grabs. The new additions, Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, and Xolo Maridueña, round out a cast that’s a lot more talented than this movie strictly needed to be.

What Practical Magic 2 Is Actually About

This one’s based on Alice Hoffman’s “The Book of Magic,” the fourth book in her Practical Magic series. Sally and Gillian have to face down a family curse together, which tracks with where the original left off. If you’ve read the book already you probably know more than the trailer is giving away, but the broad strokes are there: family, magic, and a curse that isn’t done with the Owens women yet.

Practical Magic 2 official trailer, via Warner Bros.

Can a Legacy Sequel Actually Work Here?

Most of these nostalgia sequels get the cameos right and forget to write an actual story. What gives me hope here is that this isn’t a reboot with a cameo from the original cast bolted on. It’s the same two leads carrying the whole thing again, the same aunts, and a plot pulled from a real book instead of something workshopped in a writers room to hit beats people remember. That’s a better starting point than most legacy sequels get. I’m not promising it’s good. I’m saying it’s got a real shot, and if you want more of what’s coming out this month, I already rounded up the movies I’m actually hyped for this September.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Practical Magic 2 come out?

Practical Magic 2 is set for a September 18, 2026, theatrical release.

Who is in the cast of Practical Magic 2?

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return as Sally and Gillian Owens, joined by Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing, Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, and Xolo Maridueña.

Is Practical Magic 2 a sequel or a remake?

It’s a direct sequel to the 1998 film, not a remake, with both original leads reprising their roles.

What book is Practical Magic 2 based on?

It’s based on Alice Hoffman’s novel “The Book of Magic,” the fourth book in her Practical Magic series.

Do I need to watch the original Practical Magic first?

You don’t have to, but it’ll hit a lot harder if you do. The family history and the aunts’ dynamic carry over directly.