5 Questions We're Asking After The 'Practical Magic 2' Trailer

Practical Magic (1998) is one of the few movies that gets better and better with every viewing. Enchanting, comforting, and genuinely incredible from all standpoints, there's a reason that so many of us consistently associate it with the fall season and also rewatch it multiple times a year. The moment Alan Silvestri's theme hits, that small glimmer of magic that feels out of reach becomes a little real. It's why the idea of a sequel is both the most exciting prospect and utterly terrifying, because how exactly do you top perfection?

Still, with its official release date set for this coming fall and the trailer now available for us to constantly rewatch, Practical Magic 2 (2026) feels like it might just heal us. But it's also leaving us asking a few questions while we eagerly wait for a return to Massachusetts.

How Closely Will' Practical Magic 2' Follow The Book?

Deadline confirmed that the sequel will be based on Alice Hoffman's The Book of Magic, but anyone who's ever watched a book-to-screen adaptation knows that there will always be changes. Whether big or small, nothing is ever the same, but the premise is riveting enough to base the film's overall foundation on. 

As what's deemed the final book in the Owens family saga, it's supposed to bring the women full circle with their generational devotion for one another at the center of everything. Kylie, who is played by Joey King in this movie, hears the cricket before it all starts to crumble, leading them all toward a quest to find a Grimoire to figure out how to move forward from the curse. (We see the book in the trailer, so that's an exciting Easter egg non-book readers might not have picked up on, but again, how closely the narratives will follow only time will tell.) 

Who Does Lee Pace Play In 'Practical Magic 2'? 

Lee Pace isn't just a big name in Hollywood, but he's so beloved that it's almost wild to think that he wasn't in the original movie. It also makes perfect sense that we don't have confirmation on his identity in the sequel, and whether he'll serve as a love interest, an evil warlock of some kind, or the key to helping the Owens sisters.

Regardless, Lee Pace is the perfect actor to bring into Practical Magic 2 because no matter who he plays, we know he's going to bring the character to life through a stunning performance that we'll be able to differentiate from everything else he's done, while his inimitable charm still remains front and center. 

Is Gary Dead In 'Practical Magic 2'? 

Aidan Quinn's Gary isn't in the Practical Magic 2 trailer, and we also have confirmation that he won't be returning to the sequel. While the original movie didn't exactly indicate that Gary and Sally would be endgame, it gave us enough to hold onto in the years when we thought there'd only be one movie. 

Interestingly enough, if the movie simply writes him off with the decision that he and Sally didn't work out based on their noticeable differences, that'd be more riveting than if he did die. While we don't need these movies to end in a happily ever after because their heart is (and will always be) the generational stories of the Owens witches, it's still always comforting to know that one day, the curse can break, and these women can have the love that they want—which, clearly they do want romance since Gillian is now embarking on Tinder adventures. Oy. 

Will Xolo Maridueña Be The Next Jimmy Angelov?

While Xolo Maridueña is likely playing Gideon, Kylie's best friend who falls victim to the curse because of his association with her, it's easy to wonder how he'll mirror Goran Visnjic's Jimmy Angelov with the obvious similarities between Kylie and Gillian. At the same time, Maridueña is so great at playing lovable, sweet characters that it'd be really riveting to see him flip the switch on us and play someone who could be evil instead.

Ultimately, even if this isn't the case and he is the Gideon we meet in the books, it could still be a compelling story to showcase a happy ending in the form of one of the sisters finding a love that lasts when they're all under the belief that they're cursed. But also, even if he's merely a foil to Jimmy Angelov, that could still result in an engrossing story for the viewers who don't read the books and only stick to the movies. A coma and a zombified state are fun parallels to touch on, aren't they? 

Will Any Of The Owens Women Die? 

When it comes to movies like Practical Magic and the need to break a curse, there's always some sort of death attached to the outcome. We even see it in Wicked: For Good (2025) because, as comforting as these movies are, they follow traditional tropes, which often include a sacrifice of a beloved character. 

The movie could switch things up and allow the Owens women to find a way around the curse without death, but it wouldn't surprise me if one of the aunts is the one who takes everything on to ensure that the rest of them get to move forward. Hopefully, this isn't the case, but it's hard not to ask this question given the genre we're watching.