Susanne Bier to Direct ‘Practical Magic 2’

Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock will return as the magical Owens sisters, who are dealing with a family curse that sees any man they fall in love with die.

(Left) Susanne Bier attends the Academy’s 2018 Annual Governors Awards in The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center® in Hollywood, CA, on Sunday, November 18, 2018. Credit/Provider: Troy Harvey / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in 'Practical Magic'. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Preview:

Susanne Bier is in talks to direct the developing ‘Practical Magic’ sequel.
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman will return to star.
Akiva Goldsman is also returning to write the new movie.

The mystical energy is clearly flowing for the ‘Practical Magic’ sequel, the follow up to the 1998 movie which saw Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock as sisters growing up in a witchy family.

With both stars confirmed as returning, and a script from original co-writer Akiva Goldsman falling into place, it also now has a director, as ‘In a Better World’ Oscar winner Susanne Bier is now in negotiations to handle the movie.

According to Deadline, which broke news of the new development, a deal isn’t signed and sealed yet, but Bier certainly feels like a good fit for the story.

Practical Magic

"For two sisters from a family of witches, falling in love is the trickiest spell of all."

PG-131 hr 44 minOct 16th, 1998

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Watch Practical Magic Online

And it’s certainly a positive step forward for a sequel, and also represents a reunion for the director and both lead actors (more on that below).

This is what Kidman said last year to People about her return alongside Bullock:

“Yes I will be in it. And Sandy will be in it. And that’s that. There’s a lot more to tell which is why we go, ‘OK, this is kind of interesting now to be able to do this.’ We found a way in.”

What’s the story of ‘Practical Magic’?

(L to R) Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock in 'Practical Magic'. Photo: Warner Bros.

‘Practical Magic’ adapts Alice Hoffman’s 1995 novel. The movie follows two sisters, Sally (Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Kidman), who come from a long line of witches.

Orphaned at a young age, they are raised by their eccentric aunts, who embrace their magical heritage. However, the Owens family is cursed: any man who falls in love with an Owens woman is doomed to an untimely death.

Subsequently, Sally and Gillian struggle with their powers and the consequences of the family curse. Sally attempts to lead a normal life, distancing herself from magic, but tragedy strikes when her husband dies.

Gillian, on the other hand, lives a wild life, embracing her magical abilities. The sisters are reunited when Gillian finds herself in a dangerous relationship with Jimmy Angelov (Goran Visnjic), a violent man. In an effort to protect Gillian, the sisters accidentally kill Jimmy, leading to a series of supernatural events as they attempt to hide his death and ultimately break the family curse.

What will be the story for ‘Practical Magic 2’?

(L to R) Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in 'Practical Magic'. Photo: Warner Bros.

Zero official details are available for whatever storyline Goldsman is cooking up in his cauldron, but we could conceivably see the sisters confronting issues with Kidman’s character’s daughters, themselves dealing with the family legacy.

Who is making the ‘Practical Magic’ sequel?

Griffin Dunne in 'After Hours'. Photo: Warner Bros.

That first movie was written by Robin Swicord, Goldsman and Adam Brooks, but at this point, it seems only Goldsman is returning to craft the sequel.

Griffin Dunne was in the director’s chair for the original, but clearly has either opted not to return –– or not asked.

Bullock and Kidman will also produce the movie alongside the original’s Denise Di Novi.

What else has Susanne Bier made?

Susanne Bier, Oscar®-nominee for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year, arrives for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards® at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA February 27, 2011. Credit/Provider: Ivan Vejar / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Bier is a hugely respected Danish filmmaker who is more normally found in the indie sphere, though has been diversifying into premium TV in recent years.

She got her start with 1991’s ‘Freud Leaving Home’ and has since made the likes of ‘Like It Never Was Before,’ ‘Credo,’ ‘The One and Only,’ ‘Open Hearts,’ ‘After the Wedding,’ ‘Things We Lost in the Fire,’ ‘Serena’ and ‘In a Better World,’ which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film of the Year in 2011.

Her work has scored many other accolades and trophies, and she’s also been behind projects such as John le Carré adaptation ‘The Night Manager’ and White House drama ‘The First Lady.’ She is the first female director to win a Golden Globe, Emmy and European Film Award, collectively.

Perhaps most pertinent to ‘Practical Magic’ and its stars is her previous collaborations with both Bullock and Kidman.

Bullock starred in Bier’s Netflix thriller ‘Bird Box,’ the story of a world plunged into chaos when aliens arrive who send anyone who glimpses them mad.

As for Kidman, Bier handled HBO drama ‘The Undoing,’ which saw the actor starring alongside Hugh Grant in a murder mystery. And more recently, Bier tackled all the episodes of Netflix drama ‘The Perfect Couple,’ with Kidman playing the icy matriarch of a wealthy, dysfunctional family.

When will ‘Practical Magic 2’ be in theaters?

With the movie still in its relatively early stages, there are no release details –– we don’t for example, know whether it’ll be in theaters or go straight to streaming service Max (where the original has now landed), but given the potential star power, we don’t imagine Warners will want to shove it straight to streaming.