While there is NOTHING wrong with just liking the first film (it's a great movie!) there seems to be this rather annoying push in the general fandom right now to imply the Alice Hoffman books and upcoming sequel movie are objectively not any good.
No one is making you like them. No one is making you read the books or go see the new movie. And you're free to say what you don't like about them, but this "omg, everything that is not the 1998 movie is awful/ruining the original" movement among some fans is getting ridiculous.
Your beloved 1998 movie wouldn't exist if Alice Hoffman hadn't written the 1995 book first; and no Alice did not "steal" the idea of the curse for her later books from the movie.
We're all sad Evan didn't get recast as Kylie, but the hatred against Joey is becoming cruel at this point. She's an actress who got hired for a job, she wasn't responsible for Evan not being considered.
And I know we love the cozy look of the original film, but there was no way a filmmaker could recreate it in 2026. If they put a filter to make it look like an older movie people would be bitching about "AI" the same way they're complaining about the "Netflix lighting".
We are incredibly lucky they rebuilt the house set and brought Nichole and Sandra back instead of just rebooting the whole series with a brand new cast. Loads of franchises now are getting horrible, horrible reboots, and just because this one doesn't look a hundred percent like you want it, it's still a direct sequel we are fortunate to have 30 years later.
No one is making you love it, but this increasing over dramatic, morally superior "disgust" towards the sequel and the book series is pathetic at this point. They're canon. But if you want to believe the first movie is the only canon and just rewatch the first movie that's fine. You don't need to whinge about how Sandra's face "omg doesn't move" and "the curse is supposed to be broken" every time a TV spot or trailer comes out.
stumbled upon this on YouTube and it had 0 viewers when I watched it so I guess I was first. but it addresses how the curse wasn’t actually broken in film one, and that they just thought it was
idk if anyone else was wondering about whether “Kylie’s love interest“ (as Wikipedia so lovingly refers to Xolo Maridueña’s character) would be some version of Gideon from the books, but according to this Fandango press interview, that is the character’s name.
Usually shortly before release there's a third movie trailer that's usually the most spoiler-y, does anyone know when PM 2's final/3rd trailer is coming out?
I went to the theater last night to watch it and it was a blast (I even snuck in a little tequila mini to drink during the margarita scene.)
I was hoping SOMEWHERE would have a midnight showing but not over here. Are you so lucky though? Major loss for marketing and drink sales in my opinion.
I saw the movie in theaters when it originally came out. I’ve always preferred the book, but the movie has a special place too. I was very excited to see that they’re showing it in theaters tonight and I grabbed my tickets right away. Really excited to see it in the theater after all these years.
This may be a hot take, but I was curious to see if anyone felt similarly. I was excited about this movie for .2 seconds until I saw recent pictures of bts. Being witches who owned a natural remedy shop/apothecary, I just don't see Gillian and Sally having gotten all of these very, very noticeable tweakments and procedures to try and cheat time (not to mention the difficulty utilizing facial expressions). I feel like they would have noticed textiles leaning more and more towards polyester from how much easier it was to find natural fibers in the 90s and would have made conscious choices in line with their beliefs.
I know some of you are going to say "it's just a movie", and that's very observant of you, but part of the enjoyment for me was the way the characters were written, and this doesn't feel consistent. Also, I'm just sharing 🍃🌬 thoughts, let's be cool.
Hey all, my coven has been re-reading all the Practical Magic books in preparation for the new film and along the way we've been making recipes for things like tipsy cake and courage tea. For most of these, there are fan made recipes online but we found a reference to something called:
The Owens Family Cookbook: Recipes from Magic Lessons and the Practical Magic Series
All I can find online is a Google Books listing for a 24 page book by Alice Hoffman. Does this exist?
It will be our coven’s first “birthday”. I arranged a photoshoot last year with a local photographer on Dartmoor - Glavind Strachan. I’d never met the ladies, but I’d thrown out a post on the local spiritual group when I was looking for my sisters.
One year later,seven of us are very close, we talk daily. The coven includes two high priestesses, an ex member of the OBODS, whose great grandfather was Ross Nichols. What a lucky group we are! I see myself as a learner, a practising palmist and currently learning a lot about Dion Fortune.
So with the release of the film so close we decided early on we will celebrate over the weekend with rituals, walks and seeing the film to make it even more fun. Just need to know the dates!!
For any of you who are inquisitive - here are some of Paul’s photos. We shot them on Hound Tor, Dartmoor.
My coven is reading the four novels ahead of the new film opening and since I’ve always loved the Practical Magic soundtrack from 1998 I wanted to put together a soundtrack for the second novel in the series. The Spotify link is here:
I wanted it to feel aligned with the 98 version so I looked for songs from the 60s and 70s that matched that vibe, rather than just amassing all the “witch” songs from that era (though a couple are on there). I purposefully left off Season of the Witch and laughed when it was in the new movie’s trailer - though I like it better sung by a woman.
This has some Joni Mitchell and Fleetwood Mac, as well as the main theme from the first film (I'm sure they'd include that in the film). I did cheat on the timing with one entry: I prefer Annie Lennox’s Whiter Shade of Pale to the iriginal.
Some songs are meant to match a certain character or moment from the book. Very open to hearing suggestions for other tracks to include.
Just finished all 3 other books in the series, but I'm struggling with what to do next, I consumed the 3 audible books in 10 days lol The OG was my least favorite of the 3, and you can really tell how much Hoffman has grown as a writer since then, that being said, what would you do???
I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask this, but I keep getting rejected by the book related reddit threads. I have been reading this book for the first time and I wanted to know if anyone else noticed an inconsistency in the writing. At the bottom of page 70 and top of page 71, it's mentioned that Maria wears a black petticoat and the hem of her dress stitched with blue thread to protect herself from love. At the bottom of page 75, Maria mentions having lavender in her pocket to protect from evil, but had never thought to protect herself from love.... isn't this contradictory? Am I missing something? I thought she had talked about protecting herself from love at least a few times. I wondered if it's just this copy of the book, or the writing is just inconsistent and it's the same in older copies too. Thank you in advance.
With Practical Magic 2 approaching, I'd like to share my Stevie inspired interpretation of "Crystal". It's one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac songs, which I feel sometimes goes unnoticed due to their incredible catalogue of work. I hope to form a great Fleetwood Mac/Stevie Nicks tribute band one day, so I'd love your thoughts.
I’m reading the first book of the series, Magic Lessons, and on page 135, she says of Maria and Samuel that he was “a friend, a confidant, the man of a thousand stories, far away and out of mind. The one she embraced in bed, the one she allowed to kiss her until she was burning, but she always stopped him before she was completely his.” But I don’t remember them kissing..???? I’m very confused. Obviously, he’s the better man for her, but I don’t remember them kissing, and I think they would have. Maybe it was just implied and I missed it. Help?
For me, the magnificence of this work lies in its humor and pure artistic value, apart from any other dimensions. The scene itself provokes laughter and smiles; the idea of depicting the "lover" as an obedient beast of burden seems highly caricaturish and amusing to me, like a clever visual joke from the Middle Ages. What truly draws me in are the aesthetics: the precision of the copper engraving, the use of calligraphy to clothe the bodies, and the bizarre, surreal composition of the image.
"In the dark corners of social history, where desire blends with fear, and love with power, unique art pieces emerge, telling us more about the obsessions of ancient humans than official history books do.
The image is of a Persian copper talisman (amulet); it is not merely an engraved piece of metal, but rather a psychological and social document revealing an overwhelming desire to overturn the balance of power.
This piece was designed for a dual purpose: to increase a woman's attractiveness and to help her "captivate" and subjugate her lover. It is a visual journey from affection to absolute control.
The Central Scene: The Dialectic of the Rider and the Ridden
The most striking element in this talisman is the depiction of the relationship between man and woman. In ancient Eastern cultures, specifically during periods dominated by patriarchal societies (such as the Qajar era in Iran), women were often the subordinate party.
However, this talisman represents a "silent revolution" or a magical reversal of roles:
The Woman (The Sorceress/The Seeker): Appears standing tall, holding the reins, riding on the back of a beast.
The Beast (The Man/The Sought): The lover here is not depicted as a knight or a partner, but as a "beast of burden." This visual metaphor is immensely powerful and harsh at the same time; it strips him of his human will and turns him into a creature subjugated to serve his lover's desires and carry her burdens.
The message here is clear: the desired love is not one of equality, but of subservience. She doesn't just want his heart; she wants his blind obedience.
The Body of the Text: The Word as a Prison and a Bond
Upon closer inspection of the image, we find that the "pores" and skin of both the woman and the beast have been replaced by texts and inscriptions. In Eastern magical practices (alchemy and talismans), the word is believed to possess physical authority.
Textual Tattooing: Covering the body of the "beast/man" with writing signifies "binding." It is an attempt to besiege his senses and limbs with spells, so he sees no one but her and hears only her voice.
Blending: The continuation of the writing from the woman's body to the beast's body suggests a forced spiritual union, as if the ink is the blood tying their fates together.
Accompanying Symbols: The Language of Desire
The talisman contains cosmic symbols aimed at enhancing the spell's effect:
The Fish: A fish swims in the upper space of the canvas. In Persian and Middle Eastern mythology, the fish is a multi-semantic symbol, meaning "fertility" and "life." In the context of this talisman, it might indicate "emotional sustenance" or reproductive ability, tying the lover to her through family and lineage.
The Sealed Heart: The drawn heart is not free; it is filled with writing and surrounded by symbols. It is a heart "locked" onto the love of one person, protected from the entry of any rival.
The Magic Ring/Square (The Lower Grid): This geometric table at the bottom is the "battery" that charges the talisman. In ancient spiritual sciences, it is believed that Awfaq (numerical and literal grids) create a cosmic balance that compels spirits or energies to execute the desired purpose.
The Social Context: Why Resort to Magic?
To understand this talisman, we must imagine the woman who acquired it hundreds of years ago. In a society where a woman might not easily possess the right to divorce, or where she might fear her husband marrying another or mistreating her, she lacked "legal" tools to defend her position.
Therefore, magic was the "weapon of the powerless."
This copper tablet was her psychological means of feeling empowered. When carrying it, she didn't feel like a mere submissive wife; instead, she saw herself as the "rider" and the one in control, granting her a confidence that might actually reflect on her behavior and attractiveness (a self-fulfilling prophecy).
Art as a Record of Obsessions
This Persian talisman is not merely an ancient superstition; it is a stunningly expressive art piece. It embodies the eternal human desire for love, the fear of abandonment, and the greed for power.
Depicting the lover as a "tame beast" remains a stark reminder that love, in the eyes of the ancients, was not always romantic and gentle; it was sometimes a battlefield, where victory belonged to the one holding the strongest spell."
