Back in June 2014, Warner Bros. took to TikTok to announce that a sequel to “Practical Magic” was officially in the works. That’s the 1998 film, directed by Griffin Dunne, starred Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, and Dianne Wiest.
Production has officially begun on the film. Warners posted a video Kidman and Bullock filming on their first day on the set of “Practical Magic 2.” The sequel is dated for September 18, 2026 release.
In the video, Kidman wraps Bullock in a hug as they stand before a gravestone in a quiet cemetery. The caption reads: “The witches are back. Owens sisters’ first day on set!”
Susanne Bier is directing “Practical Magic 2.” It tracks—Bier previously worked with Bullock on “Bird Box” and with Kidman on both “The Undoing” and the upcoming “The Perfect Couple.” Bullock will reprise her role as Sally Owens, while Kidman returns as her wild-child sister, Gillian.
Akiva Goldsman, who co-wrote the original screenplay, is back to write the sequel. Goldman’s most notable screenwriting credits include “The Client,” “A Beautiful Mind.” “Cinderella Man,” “I Am Legend,” “Constantine,” and — gulp— “Batman & Robin.”
Danish-born Bier has had a career that zigzags between prestige and less-than-prestige. She made her mark in the 2000s with a string of acclaimed films like “Open Hearts,” “Brothers,” “After the Wedding,” and the Oscar-winning “In a Better World.” Then came the Hollywood phase: “Things We Lost in the Fire,” “Love is All You Need,” “Serena,” and “Bird Box.” Her work in television, however, has fared better, with the well-received miniseries “The Night Manager” and the buzzy Netflix adaptation of “The Perfect Couple.”
“Practical Magic” told the story of two witchy sisters, played by Kidman and Bullock, raised by their charmingly oddball aunts in a small town that didn’t take kindly to their magical leanings. They also had to deal with a family curse that ensured heartbreak for any man they dared to love.
The sequel looks like a vehicle to reunite Kidman and Bullock—and hey, why not? The bar’s not exactly high. The original limped to a $68M global box office on a $75M budget and earned lukewarm reviews at best. Of course, there wouldn’t be a sequel without a cult following—and over the years, that’s exactly what “Practical Magic” managed to build. You can read some of those reappraisals via The Atlantic, Vox, and Vanity Fair
I actually find that number optimistic. Tickets for “Digger” go on sale next Tuesday, and presales will give us a better picture of how bad it’s looking.