Nearly three decades after Practical Magic became a cult favourite, Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock reunited for a surprise appearance at a special outdoor screening of the film in Los Angeles.
The actresses arrived unannounced at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where fans had gathered for Cinespia’s presentation of the 1998 supernatural classic. The setting could hardly have been more appropriate: a historic cemetery, an audience dressed in witch-inspired fashion and plenty of the film’s famous Midnight Margaritas.
Bullock, who played Sally Owens, welcomed the crowd by joking that a cemetery was the perfect place to screen the movie. Kidman, who portrayed her rebellious sister Gillian, thanked fans for supporting the original film and helping make its long-awaited sequel possible.
A new generation joins the Owens family
The reunion quickly became more than a nostalgic celebration.
Bullock introduced Joey King and Maisie Williams, who will play Sally’s adult daughters, Kylie and Antonia, in Practical Magic 2. The younger stars joined Kidman and Bullock with margaritas in hand before raising a toast to the film’s growing “coven.”
King told the audience that she and Williams were excited to become part of the Owens family and hoped viewers would enjoy the sequel as much as they had enjoyed making it.
The appearance created a symbolic bridge between the original stars and the next generation of characters, giving fans their first public glimpse of the expanded family at the centre of the new story.
What ‘Practical Magic 2’ will be about
Set 28 years after the original film, the sequel returns to a world of ancestral magic, family loyalty and the centuries-old curse that has shaped the lives of the Owens women.
Sally is once again trying to protect her family, while Gillian remains the more spontaneous of the two sisters. This time, however, the curse moves into the next generation and threatens Sally’s daughter Kylie and her romantic partner, played by Xolo Maridueña.
As Kylie becomes determined to reverse the spell herself, Sally and Gillian must reunite to prevent her from being consumed by darker forces and finally break the curse that has followed their family for 300 years.
The cast also includes Lee Pace, while Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest return as the beloved Owens aunts, Frances and Jet.
The original magic returns behind the scenes
The sequel is directed by Susanne Bier, with a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman and Georgia Pritchett. Its story is inspired by Alice Hoffman’s 2021 novel The Book of Magic, the fourth title in her Practical Magic book series.
Bullock and Kidman are also producing the film, giving both actresses a central creative role in the return of the franchise.
For fans, their involvement offers reassurance that the sequel will preserve the emotional heart of the original: the bond between sisters, the strength of women across generations and the idea that love can be both a source of danger and the force that ultimately defeats it.
A cult classic finds a new audience
When Practical Magic was released in 1998, it mixed romance, comedy, family drama and witchcraft in a way that initially divided critics but gradually earned a devoted following.
Over time, the Owens sisters, the coastal house, the midnight margarita scene and the film’s late-1990s wardrobe became deeply embedded in pop culture. Its popularity has only grown through streaming, social media and a renewed fascination with nostalgic supernatural stories.
That legacy was visible throughout the Hollywood Forever screening, where fans arrived in flowing black dresses, pointed hats and vintage-inspired looks referencing the film’s distinctive aesthetic.
The evening was part of Cinespia’s 25th-anniversary season, which continues with outdoor screenings of films including The Mummy, Coming to America, Labyrinth, X and Pearl.
With Practical Magic 2 scheduled to arrive in cinemas on September 11, the surprise reunion offered fans something more than a promotional appearance. It felt like an official reopening of the Owens family story — with familiar sisters, a new generation and enough magic to bring the coven back together once again.
