Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are set to reunite as modern-day witch sisters Gillian and Sally Owens for Practical Magic 2, almost three decades after the release of the original movie.
The sequel is set to hit theaters this weekend, and following last week's social media reactions, the full review embargo has been lifted.
Though the first movie has developed a cult following over the years, it was far from a critical hit when it was released back in 1998, and was met with mixed reviews for what many perceived to be a jarring combination of different genres, including supernatural fantasy, horror, domestic abuse drama, romantic comedy, and crime procedural.
Practical Magic was also a box office flop, taking in just $68 million worldwide against a production budget of $75 million. This has led many to wonder why Warner Bros. thought a sequel would be a good idea, although it is worth noting that the new movie is expected to take in a very respectable $35M–$45M domestically when it arrives on September 11.
After vanquishing the spirit of Gillian's abusive ex-boyfriend, Jimmy, at the end of the first film, the sequel will find the sisters confronting a "dark curse that threatens to unravel their family once and for all."
New additions to the cast include Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, and Joey King, with Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest set to reprise their roles as the Owens Sisters' aunts.
Though many reviews say this sequel is stronger than the first movie and the leads come in for high praise, most critics have not been won over by Practical Magic 2, which currently sits at 36% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 42 verdicts.
You can have a read through some of the reviews at the links below.
Practical Magic 2 returns to a world steeped in moonlit mischief and powerful ancestral magic, as the Owens sisters must confront the dark curse that threatens to unravel their family once and for all in a must-see cinematic event of fun, magic and mayhem.
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star, alongside Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, Xolo Maridueña, Solly McLeod, Stockard Channing, and Dianne Wiest. Susanne Bier directs the project, from a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman and Georgia Pritchett, based on the novel entitled The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman.
The film is produced by Denise DiNovi, Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, and executive produced by Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Donald Sabourin, Alice Hoffman.