Practical Magic 2 (2026)
Directed by: Susanne Bier
Premise: A sequel to the 1998 film. The Owens sisters (Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman) descend from a lineage of cursed witches. Every man they fall in love with will die. Sally’s daughters (Joey King and Maisie Williams) are now grown and must deal with the curse.
What Works: The original Practical Magic was not a good movie but it was likable and the original film has an enthusiastic fanbase. Practical Magic 2 recaptures some of what fans enjoyed about the first film. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return as Sally and Gillian Owens and their banter is funny. Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest also reprise their roles as Franny and Jet Owens and they continue their goofy aunt energy. Joey King and Maisie Williams play Sally’s daughters Kylie and Antonia and they have a credible sisterly rapport.
What Doesn’t: Practical Magic 2 is the kind of sequel that begins by undoing the ending of its predecessor in order to rehash the same material. The original Practical Magic ended with Sally embracing magic and opening herself to love. The sequel opens with Sally once again widowed and rejecting her magical lineage. From there, Practical Magic 2 exacerbates the flaws of the first film. The original Practical Magic didn’t find its story until the second half. The sequel gets to its initiating incident more quickly—the family curse puts Kylie’s boyfriend into a coma—and then the drama goes flat. Kylie’s search for a cure unwittingly sets her on a path toward the dark arts and Sally and Gillian must find Kylie before she does something terrible. Instead of escalating the tension, Practical Magic 2 sputters and stumbles. The middle of the movie is full of long, dull exposition scenes that deflate the drama. The dialogue is redundant, often reexplaining the plot. It’s not much fun. This is a legacy sequel without much of a legacy and Practical Magic 2 is belabored by unearned self-importance. The story makes no sense. Kylie searches for the root of the curse and finds a would-be dark magician who is connected to her family but has done nothing to machinate the events of the story. The film’s sloppy storytelling is especially disappointing because it wastes potential. Contemporary stories imagine witchcraft as an expression of feminine power. Kylie is poised to learn about responsibility but ultimately no one learns anything. The sequel also drops the ball with its sisterly themes. Instead of bringing Kylie and Antonia together, the sisters are separated through much of the film and Antonia spends most of the movie in a hospital room doing nothing.
Bottom Line: The original Practical Magic was not a great movie but it was light, fun, and relatively short. Practical Magic 2 is bulky, plodding, and overlong. It’s a terribly misjudged legacy sequel.
Episode: #1118 (September 27, 2026)