Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman made a surprise appearance at a screening of “Practical Magic” on Saturday night in L.A.
Attendees came to the place, the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, for magic — and many, many Midnight Margaritas — but few expected an appearance by the Owens sisters themselves to introduce the 1998 cult classic.
“Thank you so much for coming out tonight. Perfect movie to show in a cemetery,” Bullock, who stars as Sally Owens, said over the crowd’s roar of enthusiasm. “We should also thank the spirits that are floating around us as well because you’re on their seats.”
Kidman, who plays Gilly, added: “Thank you for all your support for getting this 2nd film made that’s coming to you.”
Then, Bullock introduced the “next generation” of Owens sisters: Joey King and Maisie Williams, who play Sally’s adult daughters in Warner Bros.’ sure-to-be-spellbinding sequel, in theaters Sept. 11. The duo sauntered on the screen with margaritas in hand.
“To the coven,” Kidman said, proposing that the crowd — clad in all types of 90s witchy attire, from flowy black robes and pointy hats “Practical Magic” t-shirts — raise their glasses.
“Maisie and I are so excited to be joining the coven as Kylie and Antonia,” King told the crowd. “We really hope you enjoy the new movie as much as we did making it.”
“Practical Magic 2,” directed by Susanne Bier, “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.”
The new movie follows 28 years later, as Sally bakes cakes and avoids men, while Gilly attracts men named Chad on Tinder. But the Owens family’s 300-year-old curse carries one generation forward, striking Sally daughter Kylie’s and her lover (Xolo Maridueña), who gets hit by a car while bicycling with several bouquets of roses. Kylie is determined to reverse the curse by any means necessary, forcing Sally and Gillian to band together to keep her away from the darkness and break the spell for good. Lee Pace also stars in the film, with Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest returning and Frances and Jet Owens, Sally and Gilly’s aunts.
Akiva Goldsman and Georgia Pritchett wrote the script for the sequel, which is based on the 2021 novel “The Book of Magic” by Alice Hoffman, the fourth in her “Practical Magic” book series. Denise DiNovi, Bullock and Kidman produced the Warner Bros. film. Andrew Kosove, Broderick Johnson, Donald Sabourin and Hoffman serve as executive producers.
The special “Practical Magic” screening was part of Cinespia‘s annual lineup of exhibitions at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The outdoor screening series, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary, has “The Mummy,” a double feature of Mia Goth’s “X” and “Pearl,” “Coming to America” and a 40th anniversary showing of “Labyrinth” scheduled for the month of August. Cinespia is presented by Amazon MGM Studios and Prime Video.
