Practical Magic 2 Casts Its $30M Opening Spell — Sandra Bullock & Nicole Kidman Return After 28 Years

Practical Magic 2 Casts Its $30M Opening Spell — Sandra Bullock & Nicole Kidman Return After 28 Years

Midnight margaritas are back on the menu. Practical Magic 2, the long-awaited sequel to the 1998 cult classic, has finally hit theaters — and millennials are showing up in force. Starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witchy sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, the film is tracking toward a $30 million opening weekend, beating early box office expectations and threatening to dethrone Spider-Man: Brand New Day from the top spot.

Directed by Oscar winner Susanne Bier and based on author Alice Hoffman's 2021 novel The Book of Magic, the sequel picks up nearly three decades after the original film enchanted a generation. For anyone who grew up quoting the Owens family rules, this is pure nostalgia — with a fresh, next-generation twist.

What Happens in the Sequel (No Major Spoilers)

The story opens on a heartbreaking note: Sally's soulmate Gary has succumbed to the infamous Owens family curse — the one that kills any man who dares fall in love with an Owens woman. Desperate to spare her daughters from the same pain, Sally casts a spell that erases all their memories of magic.

Fast-forward 25 years. Sally's daughter Kylie, now played by Joey King, starts uncovering the family secret when her own love interest Gideon (Xolo Maridueña of Cobra Kai and Blue Beetle fame) is injured in a life-threatening accident. Her journey to break the curse leads her to the UK, birthplace of ancestor Maria Owens, with Sally and Gillian racing after her alongside Ian Wright (Lee Pace).

The new generation also includes Maisie Williams (Game of Thrones) as Antonia, the second Owens daughter. And yes — beloved aunts Franny and Jet return, with Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest reprising their iconic roles.

Box Office Magic and a Possible Practical Magic 3

Here's where it gets exciting for Warner Bros. The sequel's projected $30 million debut is a huge win for a legacy sequel, proving that millennial nostalgia is box office gold — just ask Top Gun: Maverick or Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Reviews are mixed but warm. Critics note the sequel leans more action-adventure than the romantic slow burn of the Griffin Dunne-directed original, but audiences are eating it up. And Bullock herself has already teased the idea of passing the torch to Joey King and Maisie Williams — with both Bullock and Kidman reportedly floating a Practical Magic 3 concept in recent interviews.

The bottom line? If you grew up watching the Owens sisters dance around the kitchen at midnight, Practical Magic 2 is your must-see September movie. Grab your sisters, grab your margaritas (midnight, obviously), and head to theaters — this coven is worth rejoining. The film is currently playing in theaters nationwide and is expected to land on streaming later this fall.