Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are returning as sisters Sally and Gillian Owens in Practical Magic 2, nearly three decades after the original film. The sequel reunites several cast members from the 1998 movie while adding Joey King and Maisie Williams as younger members of the Owens family.
Key Takeaways
- Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman reprise their roles as Sally and Gillian Owens.
- Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest return as Frances and Jet Owens.
- Joey King and Maisie Williams join the cast as Sally’s daughters.
- Susanne Bier directs the sequel, based on Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic.
- Practical Magic 2 is scheduled for theatrical release in North America on September 10, 2026.
Practical Magic 2 Reunites Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman
The two actresses returned to the roles of the Owens sisters for the sequel, bringing Sally and Gillian back to the screen after their appearances in the 1998 film. The new movie continues the story of the fictional magical family and places the sisters at the center of another family conflict.
Bullock and Kidman are also among the film’s producers, alongside Denise Di Novi. Their involvement therefore extends beyond their acting roles in the sequel.
The reunion comes almost three decades after the original Practical Magic, which introduced Sally and Gillian as sisters raised in a family connected to magic. The sequel brings the characters back with additional members of the Owens family joining the story.
The film’s official synopsis centers on the Owens sisters confronting a curse that threatens their family. That conflict provides the main storyline for the sequel while keeping the focus on Sally and Gillian.
The project also marks Bullock’s return to acting after a four-year break, according to the film’s recent European premiere coverage.
The casting is part of a broader slate of upcoming film projects featuring established performers alongside new additions. Recent coverage of new film casting announcements has similarly centered on how established actors and newcomers are being brought together for major productions.
Original Cast Members Return as the Owens Family
Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest are returning as Frances and Jet Owens, the aunts who helped raise Sally and Gillian in the original film. Their participation brings two members of the original central family back into the sequel.
The sequel does not rely solely on the original cast. Its story introduces younger characters connected to Sally, expanding the family represented in the film. Joey King and Maisie Williams play Sally’s daughters, Kylie and Antonia.
The combination of returning and new performers gives the sequel a family structure that extends beyond the two sisters. The new characters are part of the next generation of the Owens family and are involved in the events surrounding the latest curse.
The cast also includes Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña and Solly McLeod. The official movie site lists those performers alongside Bullock, Kidman, King, Williams, Channing and Wiest.
The combination of familiar performers and new cast members is also common in established movie franchises. A recent Ocean’s Eleven prequel casting update similarly involved an expanding ensemble connected to an existing film series.
New Cast Members Join the Next Generation
Joey King and Maisie Williams play Sally’s daughters in the sequel, giving the story a new generation of Owens characters. King portrays Kylie, while Williams plays Antonia.
Their characters are part of the family conflict that drives the new film. The official synopsis says the Owens sisters must confront a dark curse threatening their family, while the sequel’s story extends the magical family narrative beyond the original sisters.
The casting also adds performers who were not part of the 1998 movie. King, Williams, Pace, Maridueña and McLeod join the returning cast, expanding the group of characters surrounding Sally and Gillian.
The younger characters are not presented as separate from the original story. Their connection to Sally places them within the Owens family and gives the sequel a direct link between the characters introduced in 1998 and those appearing in the new film.
The film therefore combines the original sisters and a younger generation within the same story rather than replacing the central characters. Bullock and Kidman remain the leads, while King and Williams represent the next generation of the fictional family.
Recent franchise films have also used established characters alongside new additions. Toy Story 5, for example, returned familiar characters while introducing new story elements, as detailed in Toy Story 5’s franchise return.
Sequel Continues the Owens Family Story
Practical Magic 2 is set around 25 years after the original film and continues the Owens family’s story through a new supernatural conflict. The sequel is based on Alice Hoffman’s 2021 novel The Book of Magic, which expands the literary story of the Owens family.
The film’s official synopsis says Sally and Gillian must confront a curse that threatens to unravel their family. The conflict keeps the sisters together while bringing the younger members of the family into the story.
The sequel’s connection to Hoffman’s novel distinguishes it from a story built solely around the events of the 1998 movie. The screenplay draws from The Book of Magic while retaining characters from the earlier film.
The original movie was based on Hoffman’s 1995 novel Practical Magic. The sequel instead draws from the later book, allowing the film to continue the Owens family narrative through a different literary source.
The new story also gives the returning characters a different family structure. Sally and Gillian are no longer the only younger generation in focus, with Sally’s daughters Kylie and Antonia joining the central cast.
The sequel’s theatrical release is scheduled for September 10, 2026, in North America, according to the official movie site. International theatrical distribution begins September 9.
The release schedule places the film in theaters nearly 28 years after the original Practical Magic opened in 1998. The gap separates the two films by more than a generation while retaining several of the original movie’s principal performers.
Susanne Bier Directs the New Practical Magic Film
Susanne Bier directs Practical Magic 2, working from a screenplay credited to Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett and Kelly Marcel. The film is based on The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman.
Bier leads a production that includes returning performers, new cast members and Bullock and Kidman as producers. Denise Di Novi is also credited as a producer, while Donald Sabourin, Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson are among the executive producers listed by the official movie site.
Warner Bros. Pictures is distributing the film, with Alcon Entertainment involved in the production. The movie is being released exclusively in theaters in North America rather than debuting directly on a streaming service.
The production team includes cinematographer Simon Duggan, production designer Tom Burton, editor Sam Williams, composer Rupert Gregson-Williams and costume designer Alexandra Byrne. The official credits also list music supervisors Season Kent and Gabe Hilfer and casting director Jina Jay.
The film’s European premiere took place in London on August 26, bringing Bullock, Kidman and other members of the cast together ahead of the theatrical release. Channing and Wiest were also part of the returning cast at the premiere.
The North American release is set for September 10, 2026. International screenings begin one day earlier, on September 9, according to the official release information.
Other upcoming film projects have also centered on recognizable performers returning to major studio productions, including a recent new Hollywood biopic casting involving Lily Collins.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Practical Magic 2 being released?
Practical Magic 2 is scheduled to open in North American theaters on September 10, 2026. International theatrical distribution begins September 9.
Who stars in Practical Magic 2?
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman lead the cast as Sally and Gillian Owens. The cast also includes Joey King, Maisie Williams, Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña, Solly McLeod, Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest.
Are Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman returning for Practical Magic 2?
Yes. Bullock and Kidman reprise their roles as sisters Sally and Gillian Owens. Both actresses also serve as producers on the sequel.
Who are the new cast members in Practical Magic 2?
Joey King and Maisie Williams join the returning cast as Sally’s daughters, Kylie and Antonia. Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña and Solly McLeod are also listed among the sequel’s cast members.
Who directed Practical Magic 2?
Susanne Bier directed the sequel. The screenplay was written by Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett and Kelly Marcel and is based on Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic.
