Practical Magic 2
September 9th, 2026
MOVIE: PRACTICAL MAGIC 2
STARRING: SANDRA BULLOCK, NICOLE KIDMAN, LEE PACE, JOEY KING, STOCKARD CHANNING, DIANNE WIEST, MAISIE WILLIAMS
DIRECTED BY: SUSANNE BIER
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 2 ½ STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 110 MINUTES
When a sequel arrives nearly 30 years later, it’s hard to know what you’re going to get, and expectations can understandably be tamped down. Oddly enough, Practical Magic wasn’t even a phenomenal movie that audiences were clamoring for a sequel to. Still, in today’s internet-driven world, there has been enough noise and nostalgia to convince Warner Bros. to make a legacy sequel. So here we are. Practical Magic 2 is a light and airy continuation of the 1998 film, and how necessary its existence feels will depend largely on your willingness to forgive its shortcomings. It once again elicits the bonds of sisterhood through witchcraft while giving Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman another vehicle to have a blast together. It’s not the perfect potion, but Practical Magic 2 has just enough charm to cast an enchanting spell.
Director Susanne Bier takes over behind-the-camera duties from Griffin Dunne, with a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett, and Kelly Marcel that expands upon the first installment. The Owens sisters are still dealing with their family’s love curse. Sally (Bullock) has lost her second husband, played by Aidan Quinn in the first film, while her daughters, Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (Maisie Williams), have gone off to college and begun choosing career paths of their own. Gillian (Kidman) is still single, unwilling to let herself fall in love, while their witchy aunts, Jet (Dianne Wiest) and Franny (Stockard Channing), continue helping townspeople with their magical spells.
Keeping the curse and the family’s powers a secret, however, has not been easy for the Owens family. When Kylie falls in love with a college student named Gideon (Xolo Maridueña), it becomes up to Sally and Gillian, with the help of an attractive professor, Ian Wright (Lee Pace, a worthy love interest), to put an end to the curse once and for all—or risk losing the very people they love. Sally must figure out how to protect her children while trusting that the bonds of love can be stronger than any magical curse.
A sad reality about a movie like Practical Magic 2 is that, in 1998, something like Practical Magic was a standard weekly occurrence at the cinema. Romantic comedies and movies built around big stars regularly drew audiences to theaters. Today, most of these films go directly to streaming, so when one actually makes it to the big screen, it’s both a welcome surprise and something you hope to see more of. That’s not to say Practical Magic 2 is a groundbreaking production. It’s ultimately quite silly and, as is evident, a blast for Bullock and Kidman to make. What you get out of it will depend largely on how far the charm of its two leads takes you.
Ultimately, I found Practical Magic 2 to be a light and charming night out at the movies- not too stuffy and not something you’ll be thinking about longingly afterward. It speaks to the powerful bonds of sisterhood, celebrates the importance of family, and conjures up plenty of laughs along the way. More importantly, Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman still possess genuine movie-star charisma, bringing an energy and lightness to the screen that reminds us why Practical Magic worked in the first place. Practical Magic 2 is a tried-and-true 2½-star movie. It works just enough magic to make a trip to the cinema worthwhile.
2 ½ STARS
PRACTICAL MAGIC 2 IS PLAYING IN THEATERS EVERYWHERE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2026.
Written by: Leo Brady
