Nicole Kidman & Sandra Bullock Reunite in Practical Magic 2 First Look

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Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are making their spellbinding return. 

In a sneak peek at the upcoming sequel, the cast members from the movie “Practical Magic” came together once more, creating an enchanting scene that truly felt magical.

On July 18th, a video was posted to Instagram featuring Nicole, who wore Gillian “Gilly” Owen’s iconic red hair and a maroon lace maxi dress, lovingly embracing Sandra in a heartfelt hug. They were filming a scene together inside a cemetery.

The warm gesture left the onscreen siblings beaming with joy, as Sandra, portraying Sally Owens and styled with a beautiful half-up hairstyle and a stylish brown-and-white checkered dress, flashed a radiant smile while affectionately patting her co-star.

Nicole, aged 58, labeled their heartwarming reunion as ‘Witches return!’ It was the initial day on set for the Owens sisters!

Nicole’s debut day on the set of “Practical Magic 2” alongside Sandra, who is now 60 years old, has been a long-awaited event, as it has taken approximately a year to come to fruition. In truth, Warner Bros. announced that they were developing a sequel to the 1998 original film—which was adapted from Alice Hoffman’s 1995 book series of the same name—back in June 2024.

Officially, Warner Bros. confirmed on Instagram that Practical Magic 2 is underway and will be arriving soon.

Besides Sandra and Nicole continuing their roles and taking up producing duties, several new details have emerged since then. For instance, Akiva Goldsman, who co-wrote the initial screenplay with Robin Swicord and Adam Brooks, is coming back to contribute to the sequel’s plotline. Moreover, Denise Di Novi, the original producer, has also decided to rejoin the project.

Regarding the storyline of the sequel, the team behind it has managed to keep that detail secret so far. Nevertheless, Griffin Dunne – who was the director for the original film made in 1998 – previously hinted at an idea for expanding the narrative.

He expressed to Vanity Fair in 2023, “I want to explore the viewpoint of a filmmaker from 25 years into our current time, to discover ways we could reinterpret the story for today. I’m quite intrigued about experiencing that world once more.

For more enchanting secrets about Practical Magic, keep reading. 

Sandra Bullock was already a significant player in Hollywood when she agreed to portray Sally Owens in ‘Practical Magic’, a film adaptation of Alice Hoffman’s 1995 novel. Interestingly, during the DVD commentary for the movie, Bullock shared that she recommended Nicole Kidman to play Gilly, her free-spirited co-star, even though they had never met prior to the production.

In Sandra Bullock’s own words: “I felt like saying, ‘Nicole Kidman appears to be the ideal choice,'” she explained. “Given our contrasting energies, we were exactly what each other lacked. I was certain I needed what she had. I can’t pinpoint why I thought of her or how it worked, but it just did – one of those mysterious, magical things.

2. Kidman was equally as excited about working with Bullock.

In her career, she’s primarily collaborated with males. The prospect of teaming up with Sandy on a project, she mused, seemed exciting – almost like saying, “This would be a blast, and it’s great to work alongside another woman!

In a surprising twist, I found myself utterly captivated by the unique bond between Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman on the set of their film, as if they were long-lost sisters in real life. The director, Griffin Dunne, himself was astounded by their sibling-like dynamic, which added an authenticity to their performances that left me utterly spellbound!

According to Dunne, there was a wonderful rapport between them. They argue, share laughter over similar humor, and have an understanding of one another that suggests a long-standing connection.

4. To ensure authenticity, Dunne brought on a practicing witch as a consultant. However, when she was dissatisfied with her agreement, requesting $250,000 and a share of Practical Magic‘s box office earnings, the filmmaker claimed she took legal action against Warner Bros. Moreover, she left Dunne a “frightening” voicemail, threatening to cast a curse on him and the movie while speaking in strange languages.

He informed Vanity Fair that he handed over the small cassette [recording] to their legal team. As soon as they began listening to it, they exclaimed, “This isn’t what we expected,” and proceeded to write her a check.

5. As a precaution, Dunne staged an exorcism to protect production from any lingering hexes. 

He explained to Vulture that the ritual was quite straightforward, almost reminiscent of New Age practices, and as absurd as the notion that someone could cast a curse on you over the phone. It mainly consisted of chants, smoke, and suchlike. I went along with it just to make sure all angles were taken care of.

6. An interesting outcome from my encounter with the witch was the creation of this line: “Curses hold power only if you let yourself believe them.

Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest deliver standout performances as Aunts Frances and Jet of Sally and Gilly. Notably, Channing’s character frequently engages in discussions about the appearance of their older witch counterparts.

In a more conversational style:
Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest play memorable roles as Aunts Frances and Jet for Sally and Gilly. In fact, many of their conversations center around the looks of the elder witches they portray.

As a devoted admirer, let me share an intriguing tale about my collaboration with Vulture. Reminiscing on a makeup and hair trial that didn’t initially pan out, Channing pointed out the reason: I hadn’t applied much makeup at the time. In the heat of brainstorming, we concocted a unique concept: ballet-inspired makeup. This translated to black lipstick and voluminous, wavy wigs, as per Channing’s explanation, “the more outlandish it appeared, the more effective it proved.

8. Regarding France and Jet’s enduring fashion style, Channing mentioned that the costume designers drew inspiration for their designs from Steve Nick’s iconic style.

She reminisced about the time we dared to experiment with unconventional materials and attire, which had a distinctly feminine flair, filled with an abundance of beads and accessories.

10. I’m absolutely smitten by the fact that Channing deceived us all, claiming he could speak fluent French! Little did we know, this was his secret ticket to jetting off to the City of Love, disguised as a chance to dub the movie for its French premiere.

Reflecting on the situation now, Channing confessed to Vulture that it was one of the most foolish actions he’s ever taken throughout his life. “I’m certain that as soon as I departed, they found someone competent to handle the task properly,” he said, admitting that he made a complete mess of things and behaved like an inept donkey in the process.

10. During a DVD commentary, Bullock disclosed that Kidman personally supplied the tequila for the famous midnight margaritas scene, causing all four actors to partake in the drinks themselves. Interestingly enough, others also joined in on the drinking.

11. In the final shot, Dunne chose to incorporate the Harry Nilsson tune “Lime in a Coconut” into the series of events, which unexpectedly turned into a celebratory gathering among the team members.

He shared with Vanity Fair that they indeed danced, and he himself partook in tequila. By the end of filming, he and everyone else were quite intoxicated. The dancing session spontaneously escalated, and there might even be footage of him participating and us all dancing around. In essence, yes, it’s accurate to say that everyone got pretty drunk during that shoot.

Originally, the film’s score was created by composer Michael Nyman; however, shortly before its theater premiere, Alan Silvestri was hired to replace the music. Consequently, this sudden switch led to the film having two distinct soundtracks that could be purchased separately.

13. The Owens’ well-known Victorian house from the movie was not an authentic structure on San Juan Island, Washington; it was a temporary set constructed solely for filming the exterior shots, which was demolished the very next day after production wrapped up.

14. Following the movie screening, Barbra Streisand reached out to the producers to inquire about purchasing the Owens’ home.

Production designer Robin Standerfer was responsible for designing all the interiors of the home, leading to a surge in demand for his interior decoration services. Subsequently, Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor requested Standerfer’s expertise to remodel their house after seeing the movie “Practical Magic.

16. In the last part of the film, they shot the sequence in Coupeville, a small town located on Whidbey Island, Washington. Locals were invited to act as townsfolk who watched the yearly Halloween show put on by the Owens women.

17. The filmmaker was looking for an actor who embodied the essence of a good, honest, and decent man for Officer Gary Hallett, as producer Denise Di Novi explained. This is exactly what Aiden Quinn conveyed, even catching Bullock’s mother’s attention.

Bullock remembered what his mom had said about Aiden, and it was spot-on indeed. She commented on how Aiden exudes a tremendous level of integrity, and that’s exactly what he does – you can clearly see it in his eyes.

18. However, a significant point of focus for Dunne was ensuring that the audience would cheer for Sally and Hallett to become a couple.

In simpler terms, Dunne stated that it’s challenging to convincingly portray a character who enters late in the movie as a potential romantic lead, a role that always raised concerns for them. However, this character turns out to be like a burst of fresh air entering the scene.

19. In one of her debut significant roles, Evan Rachel Wood portrays Kylie, Sally’s daughter, and Camilla Belle makes an appearance as a youthful version of Bullock.

Or simply:

19. Evan Rachel Wood stars as Sally’s daughter Kylie in one of her first major roles, while Camilla Belle is cast as a younger version of Bullock.

Initially, the character of Jimmy Angelov was created with a Texan in mind, as disclosed by Dunne. However, upon casting Goran Višnjić, who is well-known for his role on ER, the character’s nationality was changed to Croatian.

21. According to Dunne, the initial cut of the movie was “more terrifying” as it delved deeper into the “horror of domestic violence.” However, the studio believed it was too “intense,” leading to adjustments in the final version.

Furthermore, during an interview with Collider, screenwriter Akiva Goldsman mentioned that the initial edit gave a more balanced portrayal of Bullock and Kidman’s characters. Particularly, the ghostly appearances of Gillian added a greater sense of “foreboding” to the movie.

“It was more of a ghost story,” Goldsman said, “It was really beautiful and it was weird.”

The initial conclusion by Dunne involved an extended, captivating scene of the four Owens witches leaping from the rooftop, a scene that the studio found hard to grasp or appreciate.

In response to the question of why someone might leap from a roof, Dunne shared with Vanity Fair that they decided to eliminate the scene due to its dramatic nature. However, he had previously envisioned an elegant and musical finale, which he believed would resonate more effectively today.

23. Although it was confirmed in June 2024 that the sequel to “Practical Magic” titled “Practical Magic 2” is now being produced, this isn’t the first time they have attempted a follow-up. Previously, a TV pilot from 2004 featuring Kim Delaney as Sally and Jeri Ryan as Gilly was executive-produced by Bullock, but unfortunately, it didn’t succeed.

In 2010, ABC Family attempted to create a remake, while HBO commissioned a pilot for “Rules of Magic,” a series set in the 1960s focusing on aunts Franny and Jet. However, as of now, this production hasn’t been completed.

Instead of being contacted about any possible projects, Dunne expressed to Vanity Fair that he would find it intriguing to revisit the subject matter if given the opportunity.

He expressed his interest in revisiting our current world as if he were a filmmaker from 25 years in the future, wanting to modernize the narrative. He also showed curiosity about returning to this time period.

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2025-07-19 01:17