It isn’t October but spooky season has arrived early, after Warner Brothers announced that Practical Magic is finally getting a sequel.
A classic 90s rom-com, the original film saw Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock star as the iconic Owens sisters - two witches determined to stop a malevolent spirit from taking over their hometown.
Based on the beloved book by Alice Hoffman, the cosy film was an instant classic upon its release in 1998.
While there have been several attempts to resurrect the witchy franchise, Warner Brothers revealed earlier this week that a sequel was ‘in development’ - much to the delight of fans.
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in Practical Magic
What is Practical Magic about?
While Practical Magic has been charming audiences for decades, those that haven’t watched this whimsical film might be wondering what the hype is about.
With its picturesque New-England setting, whist-goth wardrobe and stellar cast, the movie will have first-time viewers under its spell well before the credits roll.
In the opening of the nostalgic film, it’s revealed that Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) come from a long lineage of witches. Despite having powers few of us could even imagine, the family is subject to a terrible curse with any man who falls in love with an Owens woman dying shortly after.
Knowing this, the sisters avoid witchcraft with kind-hearted Sally caring for her young daughters and rebellious Gillian running away from home. When Gillian’s vicious boyfriend Jimmy (Goran Visnjic) suddenly dies though, they must band together to stop his evil spirit from taking over their small town and threatening their family. All while handsome police officer Gary Hallet (Aidan Quinn) grows increasingly suspicious of the pair.
Perfect autumnal viewing, this cosy rom-com also stars Stockard Channing and Dianne West as the Owens’ sisters kooky aunts.
How old was Nicole Kidman in Practical Magic?
Released in October 1998, Practical Magic was a huge hit over the Halloween season. At the time, Nicole Kidman was just 31-year-old and was still married to Tom Cruise.
Meanwhile, co-star Sandra Bullock was just 34-year-old when the original Practical Magic premiered and had starred in the classic action flick Speed only four years prior.
Where can I watch the original Practical Magic?
If you're in the UK, you can rent Practical Magic on Prime Video or you can buy the movie for just £4.99.
If you're in the US, you can stream Practical Magic for free on Max - however if you're currently away from the States, you can still access Max using a VPN.
VPNs (virtual private networks) are a popular way to access films and TV shows only available in other countries. VPNs are a really easy-to-use piece of software that lets you change your device's IP address so it looks like you’re in the US, even if you're away from home in another country. This means you can use your usual US streaming services such as Max as you normally would.
- Choose a VPN and install it - our go-to recommendation is NordVPN.
- Connect to a server - for shows from the UK, for example, you'll want to connect to a server based in the UK.
- Go to the show you wish to access - for Practical Magic, head to Max.
What do we know about Practical Magic 2?
Sadly, Warner Brothers has yet to release many details about Practical Magic 2 - despite confirming the film is ‘in development’ on Monday.
According to Variety though, Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are likely to reprise their roles as the Owens sisters.
It is unclear whether the rest of the cast will return, including Stockard Channing and Dianne West as the Owens’ sisters aunts.
However, Akiva Goldsman will return to write the new script - after adapting the original novel in the Nineties.
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