‘Practical Magic 2’ heals old wounds for Bullock, Kidman

LOS ANGELES

Nicole Kidman (L) and Sandra Bullock pose at the premiere of “Practical Magic 2” on Aug 31 at the Directors Village in Los Angeles.

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are returning as witch sisters Sally and Gillian Owens in “Practical Magic 2,” 28 years after the original film found little success in theaters but later became a cult favorite.

The 1998 romantic comedy received mixed reviews and had a modest box office run. It gained a new audience years later, helped by social media clips and a growing appreciation of its themes of female friendship, family and magic.

Bullock said the original film’s poor reception was difficult at the time, recalling that critics viewed it as “too witchy,” “too many women” and too varied in tone. She said she later realized the movie had simply arrived too early.

“Maybe it needed to marinate a little bit,” Bullock said. “We were marinating.”

Both films are based on Alice Hoffman’s novels. “Practical Magic,” published in 1995, inspired the first movie, while her 2021 novel “The Book of Magic” helped provide material for the sequel.

Bullock also believes the film’s revival reflects a change in attitudes toward witches. The word once carried a largely negative meaning, she said, but is increasingly being reclaimed by people who embrace it as a source of identity and pride.

Kidman said the resurgence became clear when fans began telling her that “Practical Magic” was their favorite film of hers. Before making the sequel, Bullock watched the original with her children and their friends to get a younger generation’s perspective on the story.

The sequel also introduces a new generation of Owens women. Joey King and Maisie Williams play Kylie and Antonia, Sally’s daughters. King described the experience as a passing of the baton from the original stars to the younger cast.

Bullock and Kidman, who are also producers, faced the financial challenges of making a legacy sequel. The production rebuilt the Owens family house on a London back lot as a full structure, replacing the temporary exterior used for the original.

Producer Denise Di Novi said the filmmakers would like to make a third movie, with Kylie and Antonia potentially taking a larger role. Williams also said there is more material from “The Book of Magic” that could be explored.

“Practical Magic 2” is scheduled to hit theaters Sept. 10.