Practical Magic is an American media franchise consisting of four novels, two films, and a television pilot. The series is based on Alice Hoffman's book series of the same name.
Book series Practical Magic (1995)
For more than 200 years, the women of the Owens family have been blamed for everything that has gone wrong in the town of Sudbury, Massachusetts. Two Owens sisters, Gillian and Sally, are brought up by their two elderly guardian aunts in a world of spells and exotica from which they eventually escape: one by running away, the other by marrying. Many years go by before strange circumstances thrust the sisters together again, and again they are in a world that blends the mundane and the mysterious, the familiar and the fantastic, the normal and the numinous. Three generations of Owens women must unite in an experience of unexpected insight and revelation, teaching them all that the perceptions provided by what is called the magical are rare and wonderful endowments.
The Rules of Magic (2017) Set in the 1960s, years before the events of the first installment, the book follows the lives of the Owens siblings, Franny, Jet, and Vincent, as they navigate their unique magical abilities and the family curse that haunts them. Their mother, Susanna Owens, establishes strict rules to protect her children from the dangers of their magical heritage, which include: No walking in the moonlight, no red shoes, no wearing black, no cats or crows, no candles or books about magic, and most importantly, never fall in love.
Magic Lessons (2020) In the 1600s, centuries before the original story, a baby named Maria is abandoned in a snowy English field. Under the care of gentle Hannah Owens, Maria learns about the "Unnamed Arts", for which she has a gift - a gift that may well prove her undoing. When Maria is abandoned by the man she loves, she invokes the curse that will haunt her family for centuries. Because magic has rules, and they must be followed. This is the lesson that Maria will carry with her for the rest of her life, and pass on to her children and her children's children.
The Book of Magic (2021) Set years after the first book, Jet Owens hears the sound of the deathwatch beetle, knowing that it is a signal, having finally discovered the secret to breaking a curse. But time is running out, as she has only seven days left to live. Unaware of the family's witchcraft lineage and all it entails, one of the young sisters of the new Owens generation has fallen in love. As the curse strikes, her love's fate hangs in the balance, prompting three generations of Owens women to venture back to the English countryside where it all began and use their gifts to break the spell that has marked all their lives.
Film series Film U.S. release date Director Screenwriter(s) Producer(s) Status Practical Magic Griffin Dunne Adam Brooks, Robin Swicord & Akiva Goldsman Denise Di Novi Released Practical Magic 2 Susanne Bier Akiva Goldsman & Georgia Pritchett Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock & Denise Di Novi
Practical Magic (1998)
Two sisters, Sally Owens (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) are raised after their parents' deaths by their two aunts Frances (Stockard Channing) and Jet (Dianne Wiest), the sisters grew up in a Sudbury, Massachusetts household that was anything but typical. Their aunts fed them chocolate cake for breakfast and taught them magic. The Owens' sorcery also carries a price: the men with whom they fall in love with are doomed to an untimely death. As adult women with very different personalities, the quiet Sally and the fiery Gillian must use their powers to fight a family curse.
Practical Magic 2 (2026)
In June 2024, it was announced that a sequel was in development, with Bullock and Kidman in talks to return as well as produce alongside original producer Denise Di Novi. Later that same month, Nicole Kidman confirmed that she and Sandra Bullock would reprise their roles in the sequel. Akiva Goldsman, who co-wrote the screenplay for the original film, would return to write the script. Griffin Dunne hinted that a woman will direct the sequel, while he will serve as an executive producer.
While specific plot details remain under wraps, the sequel will be based on Alice Hoffman's 2021 novel The Book of Magic, the fourth installment in her Practical Magic series. Although the timeline is still uncertain, in August 2024, producer Denise Di Novi is optimistic about beginning production next year. In January 2025, Susanne Bier was reportedly in talks to direct the sequel. In February 2025, Kidman mentioned that the sequel was "moving ahead rapidly". Three months later, it was announced that Bier would direct the film, which is scheduled for release on September 18, 2026.
In July 2025, it was announced Joey King and Maisie Williams had been cast as Sally's daughters. That same month, it was revealed Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest would reprise their roles as Frances and Jet, respectively; Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña, and Solly McLeod were also cast in unknown roles. Principal photography began on July 18, 2025 and wrapped on September 13 of that year. In February 2026, the release date was moved up to September 10, 2026.
Television Sudbury (2004) In 2004, Warner Bros. and CBS produced Sudbury, a television pilot written by Becky Hartman Edwards and directed by Bryan Spicer starring Kim Delaney in the role played by Bullock in the film and Jeri Ryan in the role played by Kidman. The series, named for the Sudbury, Massachusetts location of the novel and film, was not picked up.
Unrealized projects In 2010, Warner Bros. and ABC Family attempted to develop a reboot television series.
In 2019, it was announced that HBO Max was developing a prequel television series, based on Alice Hoffman's 2017 prequel novel, The Rules of Magic, with Jessica Jones creator Melissa Rosenberg writing and executive producing. However, the project never came to fruition.
Cast and characters
Characters Film Television Practical Magic Practical Magic 2 Sudbury Sally Owens Sandra Bullock Sandra Bullock Kim Delaney Gillian "Gilly" Owens Nicole Kidman Nicole Kidman Jeri Ryan Frances Owens Stockard Channing Dixie Carter Bridget "Jet" Owens Dianne Wiest Shirley Knight Kylie Owens Evan Rachel Wood Joey King Gage Golightly Antonia Owens Alexandra Artrip Maisie Williams Kat Dennings Officer Gary Hallet Aidan Quinn colspan="2" James "Jimmy" Angelov Goran Visnjic colspan="2" Michael Mark Feuerstein colspan="2" Maria Owens Caprice Benedetti colspan="2" Jack Peter Shaw colspan="2" Regina Owens Caralyn Kozlowski colspan="2" Linda Bennett Margo Martindale colspan="2" Carla Chloe Webb colspan="2" Patty Martha Gehman colspan="2" Sara Lucinda Jenney colspan="2" Professor Ian Wright Lee Pace Gideon Xolo Maridueña Thomas "Tom" Lockland Solly McLeod Mitch Newton colspan="2" Nolan Gerard Funk Rachel colspan="2" Christie Laing Deirdre colspan="2" Devon Weigel
Additional crew and production details Title Crew/Detail Composer(s) Cinematographer Editor(s) Production companies Distributing companies Running time Practical Magic Alan Silvestri Andrew Dunn Elizabeth Kling Fortis FilmsDi Novi PicturesVillage Roadshow Pictures Warner Bros. 1 hr 44 mins Sudbury David Geddes John Earl Burnett Warner Bros. Television CBS 45 mins Practical Magic 2 Rupert Gregson-Williams Simon DugganSimon Duggan, ASC, ACS Sam Williams Alcon EntertainmentDi Novi PicturesFortis FilmsBlossom Films Warner Bros. 2 hr 10 mins
Reception SVOD viewership On October 2, 2024, one day after its premiere on the Max streaming platform, Practical Magic entered the top 10 films chart, securing the #5 spot.
Box office performance Film Release date Box office gross Box office ranking Budget Ref(s) United States opening weekend North America Other territories Worldwide All timeNorth America All timeworldwide Practical Magic October 16, 1998 $13,104,694 $46,732,881 $47,700,000 $94,432,881 #2,062 #2,599 $75 million Practical Magic 2 September 10, 2026 $30,002,526 $59,762,967 $32,600,000 $92,362,967 $75 million Totals $ $ $ $ million
Critical and public response
Film Critical Public Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore Practical Magic 27% (101 reviews) 46 (22 reviews) B− Sudbury Practical Magic 2
In other media Musical On February 9, 2026, it was confirmed that a Broadway musical based on the first book and film of the series was in development, to be written by series author Alice Hoffman and Peter Duchan, with an original score by Norah Jones and Gregg Wattenberg, and Maria Friedman directing.
References
External links
Promotional website (archived) Practical Magic (archived) at AllMovie