Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman surprised a sold-out crowd of Practical Magic fans by appearing at an outdoor screening of the 1998 movie inside Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
The actresses arrived unannounced at the Cinespia event in Los Angeles on August 1.
Audience members had gathered to revisit the cult favorite without knowing that its central stars would introduce the film and bring along two members of its upcoming sequel’s cast.
Bullock and Kidman thanked viewers for continuing to support the original movie and helping make Practical Magic 2 possible nearly three decades later.
Bullock Joked About Screening the Movie Among the Graves
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“Thank you so much for coming out tonight,” Bullock told the cheering crowd, according to Entertainment Weekly’s report from the event. She called Practical Magic the “perfect movie to show in a cemetery” before acknowledging the location’s permanent residents.
“We should also thank the spirits that are floating around us as well, because you’re on their seats,” Bullock joked. Kidman then expressed her appreciation for the audience that helped keep interest in the Owens sisters alive. “Thank you for all your support for getting this second film made that’s coming to you,” she said.
Joey King and Maisie Williams Joined the Owens Sisters
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Bullock introduced Joey King and Maisie Williams as the “next generation” of Owens women. King and Williams play Sally Owens’ adult daughters, Kylie and Antonia, in Practical Magic 2. They entered carrying margaritas, referencing the original film’s beloved “midnight margaritas” sequence.
“Should we raise a glass? A midnight margarita, maybe?” Kidman asked. She then declared, “To the coven,” as Bullock, King, Williams and the costumed audience joined the toast.
“Maisie and I are so excited to be joining the coven as Kylie and Antonia,” King told the crowd. Williams added, “We really hope you enjoy the new movie as much as we did making it.”
The Cemetery Was Already Part of the Evening’s Theme
Cinespia regularly presents outdoor screenings at Hollywood Forever Cemetery during the summer. The organization promoted the August 1 event as an evening of witch-themed entertainment built around the original Practical Magic.
Before and after the screening, guests could attend a dance party with DJ Daisy O’Dell, visit a themed photo booth and order margaritas at the bar. The event had been advertised as a standard presentation of the 1998 film, with unspecified “special surprises.” Bullock, Kidman, King and Williams’ arrival was not announced in advance.
Directed by Griffin Dunne and adapted from Alice Hoffman’s 1995 novel, Practical Magic follows sisters Sally and Gillian Owens as they contend with dangerous relationships, a family curse and the consequences of using magic to bring someone back from the dead.
Several Original Cast Members Return for the Sequel
Bullock and Kidman reprise their roles as Sally and Gillian and also serve as producers on Practical Magic 2. Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest return as Franny and Jet, the aunts who raised the sisters and taught them about their family’s magical history.
The official cast information also lists Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña and Solly McLeod alongside King and Williams. Susanne Bier directs from a screenplay credited to Akiva Goldsman, Georgia Pritchett and Kelly Marcel. The story draws from Hoffman’s 2021 novel The Book of Magic.
According to the official synopsis, Kylie’s discovery of hidden family secrets and the emergence of her own dark abilities pull several generations of Owens women into a new struggle against their ancestral curse. Sally, Gillian, Franny and Jet must travel from Massachusetts to the United Kingdom as they attempt to identify the source of their magic and protect the family’s next generation.
Practical Magic 2 opens in North American theaters on September 11, 2026, with its international rollout beginning September 9.