Upcoming Nicole Kidman Sequel Is Worrying After This Disney Misfire With 65% On Rotten Tomatoes

Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are reuniting for a sequel to Practical Magic, but as exciting as it is, it’s also worrying after a big Disney misfire with a 65% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The current wave of reboots, revivals, and legacy sequels has successfully brought back to life franchises and stories that still have more to tell, and among the latest additions to it is Practical Magic. Directed by Griffin Dunne and based on the 1995 novel of the same name by Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic was released in 1988, and it starred Kidman and Bullock as sisters Gillian and Sally.

Sally and Gillian come from a family of witches, who carried a curse that doomed any man that a woman of the family loved. After the death of Sally’s husband as a result of the curse, Sally and Gillian reunited and joined their magic talents to destroy the latter’s abusive boyfriend, Jimmy, who, after killing him in self-defense, returned as a vengeful, evil spirit. Despite not being well received during its release, Practical Magic has gained a cult following, which is in large part the reason why it’s now getting a sequel – but this is also worrying after a similar, recent sequel that was a disappointment.

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Practical Magic 2 Is Worrying After Hocus Pocus 2 Was Disappointing

Hocus Pocus Finally Got A Sequel In 2022

A sequel to Practical Magic was officially announced in June 2024, with Kidman confirming her and Bullock’s return a couple of days later. Practical Magic has now joined other witch movies from the 1990s that have gotten sequels in recent years, but the return of Sally and Gillian is worrying after the disappointment of Hocus Pocus 2. Directed by Kenny Ortega, Hocus Pocus was released in 1993 and introduced the audience to the Sanderson sisters: Winifred (Bette Midler), Sarah (Sarah Jessica Parker), and Mary (Kathy Najimy), witches who were hanged, but not before Winifred cast a spell to ensure their return.

Three centuries later, the Sandersons were accidentally resurrected, and Max Dennison, his sister Dani, and his crush Allison stopped the sisters from using all the town’s children for a potion to continue living after Halloween night. Although it wasn’t a success during its initial release, Hocus Pocus became a cult classic and finally got a sequel in 2022. In it, the Sandersons were resurrected again, but they now looked to cast the Magicae Maxima spell to become more powerful.

Despite being a long-awaited sequel, Hocus Pocus 2 didn’t succeed with critics or viewers, with a 65% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 47% audience score. Although it got a better critics’ score than the first movie (40% though with a 72% audience score), Hocus Pocus 2 was mostly driven by nostalgia and didn’t have the same impact as its predecessor, becoming forgettable. Practical Magic 2 risks falling into the same trap of not being able to recapture the first movie’s charm and heart, especially as, just like Hocus Pocus, they’re products of a specific time, and they’re fueled by nostalgia.

Why Practical Magic 2 Could Be More Successful Than Hocus Pocus 2

Practical Magic 2 Has A Big Advantage

Hocus Pocus is an original story, so its sequel also told an original one as well (despite there being a sequel novel, published in 2018). Although that gives any movie a lot of creative freedom, there’s always a risk, especially in sequels, of repeating the first movie’s formula or, simply, not matching what made it so good. Practical Magic 2 has a big advantage as the original novel has a sequel, titled The Book of Magic, published in 2021, which can easily be used as the basis for the movie.

Thanks to this, it would be easier for Practical Magic 2 to properly continue the stories of Sally and Gillian while expanding on their family history and the movies’ unique world. Another advantage of Practical Magic 2 compared to Hocus Pocus 2 is that, despite having a solid and loyal fanbase, Practical Magic was always less popular than Hocus Pocus, so the former’s sequel has less pressure. It’s to be seen who else joins Practical Magic 2 and what its story will be, and hopefully, it will avoid the mistakes and disappointment of Hocus Pocus 2.

Practical Magic

Director

Griffin Dunne

Release Date

October 16, 1998

Cast

Nicole Kidman , Sandra Bullock , Stockard Channing , Dianne Wiest , Goran Visnjic , Aidan Quinn , Evan Rachel Wood , Mark Feuerstein

Runtime

104 Minutes