The Owens sisters are back, and they've picked a fight with a superhero. Practical Magic 2 arrived in theaters on September 9, 2026, and early industry chatter suggests the long-awaited sequel has its sights set on knocking Spider-Man off the top spot at the box office - or at the very least, making the web-slinger sweat a little.
That's a bold play for a movie about two sisters who mostly just want their family curse to stop ruining their love lives. But here we are, and honestly? It's kind of the perfect September surprise.
The Witchy Sequel Nobody Saw Coming (Except Everyone)
Nearly three decades after Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman first charmed audiences as Sally and Gillian Owens, the pair have returned to the roles that made cottagecore witchcraft a whole personality. This time, Susanne Bier - the Danish director behind Bird Box and In a Better World - is calling the shots. That's a genuinely interesting choice for a romantic fantasy comedy, and it signals the sequel isn't just coasting on nostalgia fumes.
The story picks up with the Owens sisters facing down the dark curse that's been threatening to tear their family apart for good. If that sounds like higher stakes than the original's love-potion mishaps, you're not wrong. This one goes bigger, darker, and apparently meaner - at least by Owens family standards.
Bullock and Kidman aren't carrying the load alone, either. Joey King joins as Kylie Owens and Maisie Williams steps in as Antonia Owens, playing the next generation of Owens women who presumably inherited both the magic and the romantic chaos. Xolo Maridueña shows up as Gideon, Lee Pace plays Ian Wright, and the iconic aunt duo of Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing return as Aunt Jet and Aunt Frances. If that cast doesn't sell you, nothing will.
Why September Is Suddenly Witch Season
There's something almost poetic about a witch movie dropping in September. Halloween-adjacent, yes, but early enough to feel like a fall preview rather than a holiday cash grab, and timed perfectly for anyone who's already mentally transitioned to cozy sweaters and candle shopping.
The original Practical Magic flopped when it hit theaters in 1998, only to become a beloved cult favorite on home video. That's a redemption arc most movies could only dream of, and it's exactly why a sequel made this far down the road feels less like a cynical reboot and more like a genuine gift to the fans who kept the flame alive. Midnight margaritas, anyone?
The Box Office Showdown
Here's where it gets spicy. Going head-to-head with a Spider-Man movie is the cinematic equivalent of walking into a den of lions wearing a steak necklace. Marvel's wall-crawler has been a box office juggernaut for decades, and no one bets against Spidey lightly.
But Practical Magic 2 has a few things working in its favor. Counter-programming is real - audiences who've had their fill of spandex and city-leveling CGI might be craving something warmer, weirder, and distinctly more human. Add in the nostalgia factor, a stacked cast, and the fact that Bullock and Kidman are two of the most beloved stars working today, and you've got a recipe for an upset. Maybe not a knockout, but a respectable showing that could genuinely disrupt the top of the charts.
Early audience reception has been solid rather than ecstatic. TMDb currently sits at 6.3/10, which suggests viewers are enjoying the ride while acknowledging it doesn't quite recapture the lightning in a bottle of the original. Then again, the first film wasn't exactly a critical darling on arrival either, and look how that turned out.
What's Next for the Owens Clan
Whether Practical Magic 2 dethrones Spider-Man or settles for a strong second-place finish, its release marks a win for mid-budget fantasy romance - a genre that Hollywood keeps declaring dead and audiences keep resurrecting. With a 130-minute runtime, Bier's film gives the Owens saga room to breathe, which should please fans who've waited years for a proper continuation rather than a rushed reboot.
For now, the witches are casting their spell, the webs are still spinning, and the box office is about to get a lot more interesting. Grab a margarita and place your bets.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
