Practical Magic 2 (2026) Warner Bros./Comedy-Fantasy RT: 130 minutes Rated PG-13 (some violent content, suggestive material, brief strong language) Director: Susanne Bier Screenplay: Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett and Kelly Marcel Music: Rupert Gregson-Williams Cinematography: Simon Duggan Release date: September 10, 2026 (US) Cast: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Joey King, Maisie Williams, Lee Pace, Xolo Mariduena, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing. Solly McLeod.
Rating: ** ½
Surprisingly, I’ve never been asked to name my favorite legacy sequel. For the record, the term refers to a follow-up that comes twenty or more years after the original. To answer the question never put to me, it’s The Color of Money (1986), Martin Scorsese’s sequel to the 1961 classic The Hustler. It’s perfect in every which way.
It seems like a lot of movies from the 80s and 90s are finally getting their due with belated sequels like Top Gun: Maverick, Hocus Pocus 2 and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The latest is Practical Magic 2, a follow-up to the 1998 supernatural comedy-fantasy starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witchcraft-practicing sisters. I didn’t know there was a demand for a second movie, but apparently the first one has a significant cult following. I’m guessing they’re the main driving force behind this sequel.
So what are the Owens sisters, straight-laced Sally (Bullock) and free-spirited Gilly (Kidman), up to these days? They’re obviously older and maybe even a little bit wiser. Unfortunately, the family curse is still very much on. Any man loved by an Owens woman is still doomed to die a horrible death. We find this out in the opening moments when Sally visits the graves of both dead husbands. In her grief, she casts a spell on her two young daughters to make them forget about their magical roots. She hopes it will help them avoid the family curse. HA! Like it’s ever that easy.
Twenty-five years later, Sally is living as a spinster in that big house with Gilly. Her girls Kylie (King, The Kissing Booth) and Antonia (Williams, Game of Thrones) are grown and living their own magic-free lives. Kylie is in a relationship with Gideon (Mariduena, Blue Beetle) who loves her and isn’t afraid to say so. When she finally says the words out loud, it’s only a matter of hours before he has a close brush with death.
Kylie confronts her mom about the rumors of a family curse and eventually gets the truth out of Gilly. Angry, she storms out of the house with a magical book supposedly containing a way to end the curse. She has visions that guide her to England. She’s determined to save the comatose Gideon before death can claim him like it has so many others. Predictably, there are darker forces at work here.
It’s Mom and Auntie to the rescue as Sally and Gilly head off to the UK to rescue Kylie. They’re advised by Aunt Frances (Channing, Grease) to seek the help of Ian Wright (Pace, Guardians of the Galaxy), a professor of the history of magic. He’s an oddball to be sure, but he knows what he’s doing. Also, Sally kind of likes him even though she won’t admit to it. He’s the one who eventually help her get her magic groove back.
Directed by Susanne Bier (Bird Box), Practical Magic 2 gets off to a rocky start, but gets better as it goes along. Now I’m not saying it’s better or worse than the original. In fact, I think the two films are about equal. However, it does do one thing better. It has a clearer idea of what it wants to be. The first movie was all over the place in terms of genre. I described it as “a witches’ brew of romantic comedy, supernatural horror, domestic abuse drama and crime procedural” in my review. Practical Magic 2 leans more into the supernatural aspects of the story while retaining the whole sisterhood thing. It makes a few half-hearted stabs at rom-com (Sally and Ian), but they feel noticeably out of place. Despite this small hiccup, it has a stronger sense of identity than its predecessor. I’d call that an improvement.
Practical Magic 2 is still far from perfect. At 130 minutes, it’s longer than it needs to be. It’s not like Bier is making an epic of some sorts. Also, Bullock tends to be really annoying here. What is it with her and sequels? Is there some kind of curse I’m not aware of? Look at the Speed movies. She was great in the first one and completely obnoxious in the second. The same holds true for the Miss Congeniality duology. Now we get annoying Sandy in Practical Magic 2. Is she forever doomed to tank in sequels to her hit films? Man, I hope not. I do like her.
One of things I wish had been explored more in Practical Magic 2 is the relationship between Kylie and Antonia. They’re like clones of their immediate ancestors with Antonia as the serious one and Kylie as the free spirit. I wanted more scenes of them together. Sadly, they spend a majority of the movie on different continents with doctor-to-be Antonia sitting by Gideon’s hospital bedside while Kylie looks to save him. Thankfully, the two actresses do fine work in their respective roles. King is the standout as Kylie. I always knew she was a star in the making. Williams is good too despite her character not getting a lot of screen time.
Sandy and Nic still have great chemistry. It’s nice to see Channing and Wiest (The Lost Boys) reprise their roles however briefly. Pace is a sweet addition to the cast as the tattooed man of Sandy’s dreams even though she refuses to admit it. British actor Solly McLeod (Star City) shows up in a small but significant supporting role. I’ll only say something darker hides behind his charm.
I didn’t want to fall under its spell, but I almost did. I ended up liking Practical Magic 2 more than I thought I would. It’s an entertaining movie that will definitely please the fans. It tells a good story that’s even moving in parts. Sure, it repeats many of the same beats as its predecessor (e.g. the Harry Nilsson song “Coconut”, margaritas), but it’s what the fans expect. Overall, it’s decent.
As for the whole legacy sequel thing, I wonder what’s next. Is there a High Spirits 2 in the near future?
