Overview
- The film opened in U.S. theaters on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, bringing Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman back as the Owens sisters for a legacy sequel.
- Susanne Bier directed the adaptation of Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic with writers Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett and Kelly Marcel and a supporting cast that includes Joey King, Maisie Williams, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing and Lee Pace.
- Early reviews praise Bullock and Kidman’s chemistry and the film’s nostalgic tone but frequently fault an overstuffed, uneven script, a roughly 130‑minute runtime and a crowded third act with heavy visual effects.
- The sequel’s production and promotion leaned on nostalgia through London and Los Angeles premieres and reconstructed sets, while public attention has focused on recasting the younger Owens and questions about who was contacted for those roles.
- Industry reporting says the project began after a streaming resurgence of the 1998 original, and studios are using opening receipts and audience response to decide whether Practical Magic will be expanded into a franchise.