Warner Bros. has officially released the first teaser for Practical Magic 2, following its CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas, and the return to the Owens family feels both familiar and freshly unhinged in the best way.
The follow-up to the 1998 cult favorite brings back Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as Sally and Gillian Owens, sisters tied to a centuries-old family curse that refuses to let them live quietly, or love easily. This time, the stakes feel sharper, the humor a bit darker, and the magic noticeably more restless.
The teaser doesn’t waste time reintroducing the legend. Instead, it opens with Bullock’s voiceover setting the tone: “I’m sure you’ve heard of the Owens family, the ones from Massachusetts, the ones their neighbors whisper are witches.” It’s a simple line, but it immediately pulls viewers back into a world where superstition is less rumor and more inherited reality.
A Curse That Still Won’t Quit
The Owens women are still fighting the same long-standing burden: a curse that dooms anyone they love. That idea remains the emotional engine of the sequel, but the teaser hints at new layers being added to the mythology.
Kidman’s Gillian delivers one of the trailer’s sharpest beats with her signature deadpan humor: “A really horrible death… It’s not great for the Tinder bio.” It’s a quick moment, but it signals that the sequel isn’t losing the original film’s balance of heartbreak and wit.
As the footage unfolds, the tone shifts between eerie and playful. Set to Harry Nilsson’s “Coconut,” the teaser cuts between glimpses of chaos, family tension, and bursts of magic that suggest the Owens legacy is evolving in a very whimsical way (excited to see what’s in store!).
Lee Pace Enters the Spell
One of the more intriguing introductions comes with Lee Pace stepping into the story. His character encounters the Owens sisters, immediately placing him in their orbit of danger and unpredictability.
At one point, Bullock’s Sally warns him bluntly: “Everyone we love dies.” Now we’re definitely on the edge of our seats waiting to see what’s in store for the new character.
Naturally, there’s already room for speculation here. The teaser doesn’t confirm anything, but the dynamic between Pace and the Owens sisters hints at potential romantic tension… or at least emotional complication. Given the family’s history, “complication” might be an understatement.
From a viewer standpoint, it’s hard not to wonder if romance is part of the spell being cast this time around.
The Next Generation and the Expanding Curse
The sequel also introduces Joey King and Maisie Williams as Sally’s daughters, expanding the Owens lineage and the weight of the curse they inherit. Their presence suggests the story isn’t just about breaking old patterns, it’s about deciding whether those patterns can ever truly be escaped.
New Direction, Familiar Spellwork
Behind the camera, Susanne Bier takes over directing duties, bringing a different sensibility from Griffin Dunne, who directed the original film. The screenplay comes from Akiva Goldsman, who co-wrote the 1998 version, alongside Georgia Pritchett of Succession, signaling a blend of legacy storytelling and sharper modern dialogue.
The returning ensemble also includes Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing, grounding the sequel in its original magical framework. New cast members like Xolo Maridueña and Solly McLeod expand the world further, suggesting that the Owens family tree is growing in more ways than one.
A Familiar Return, With Sharper Edges
What stands out most in the teaser is how confidently it leans into its identity. There’s whimsy, but it’s threaded with consequence. There’s humor, but it’s often used to mask something heavier underneath. And there’s magic, still unpredictable, still dangerous, still deeply tied to family history.
From a viewer’s perspective, the sequel seems less interested in recreating the original film’s tone and more focused on pushing its mythology forward. The Owens sisters are back, but they’re not the same women who left the screen decades ago.
Practical Magic 2 arrives in theaters worldwide on Sept. 11, and if the teaser is any indication, the spell is far from finished, it’s just been waiting to be rewritten.
