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Practical Magic 2 First Look: A New Generation of Witches Emerges
Practical Magic 2 arrives in cinemas on 10 September, nearly three decades after the 1998 original became a cult favourite despite disappointing box office returns and lukewarm reviews on first release. Directed by Susanne Bier, the sequel continues the story of witch sisters Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman), while introducing Sally's daughters, Kylie (Joey King) and Antonia (Maisie Williams), as a new generation grappling with the family's centuries-old curse that kills any man who falls in love with an Owens woman.
The original film, directed by Griffin Dunne and based on Alice Hoffman's novel, followed the Owens sisters and their aunts navigating witchcraft, romance and hardship in small-town Massachusetts, but only found its devoted audience after release on home video. In the sequel, Kylie discovers new dark abilities of her own and sets out to understand them, enlisting unlikely allies, including a warlock named Thomas Lockland (Solly McLeod), in an attempt to finally break the curse. Polygon has shared an exclusive image from the film showing Kylie studying old texts as part of its Fall Preview coverage.
In short
- Practical Magic 2 releases in cinemas on 10 September
- Sequel follows Sally and Gillian's daughters as new witches
- Original 1998 film became a cult hit despite poor initial reception
Explained simply
Practical Magic is a story about the Owens family, whose women practise witchcraft and live with a curse: any man who falls in love with an Owens woman dies. The 1998 film followed sisters Sally and Gillian as they dealt with the curse, family troubles and life in a small Massachusetts town. It was based on a novel by Alice Hoffman.
The new film returns to Sally and Gillian and introduces Sally’s daughters, Kylie and Antonia. Kylie begins to develop dark abilities and seeks to understand them, with help from Thomas Lockland, a warlock. Their effort to break the family curse carries on the story across generations.