Sandra Bullock is thrilled to be teaming up with Nicole Kidman for their 2026 release, Practical Magic 2, and a source exclusively tells Life & Style that she’s been hitting the gym with a vengeance while preparing for one of the most physically demanding roles she’s had in years.
“Sandra is realistic about what Practical Magic 2 requires,” the insider says. “She and Nicole Kidman need to look as hot as humanly possible, or the whole premise and comedy of the film doesn’t work. Nobody is forcing her to lose weight or get ripped, but Sandra is doing it for the good of the movie, and she’s doing it her way.”
The source adds that Sandra, 60, is not only “getting chiseled” for the upcoming sequel to the 1998 film, she’s also “trying new [makeup and costume] looks.”
“It’s a funny situation because this is what Nicole does every two months, because Nicole works so much, but Sandra hasn’t made a movie in four years,” the insider continues. “This is a big deal for her, and she always wanted to revisit this character. That means dieting, that means crunches and that means no cheating.”
Though it may sound like a tough challenge, the source concludes that the Lost City actress “has the body and mindset of an elite athlete. She can handle this, and she can more than handle the enormous payoff that comes from making a great movie. After another long hiatus, she can’t wait to get back in the game.”
In Practical Magic, Sandra and Nicole, 57, played sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, who were born into a magical family but chose to avoid witchcraft for most of their lives. However, when Gillian’s abusive boyfriend died unexpectedly, she and Sally gave themselves a crash course in hard magic to resurrect him. In the process, they accidentally brought an evil spirit into his corpse.
Though the movie initially received mixed reviews upon its release, it gained a cult following over the years and became a Halloween season favorite for many fans.
Nicole confirmed that she and Sandra would be reprising their roles in a sequel in a June 2024 interview with People.
“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,’” she said.
On May 5, Warner Bros. shared a teaser video on Instagram confirming the release date for the film.
“The spell is cast. The date is set. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return. Only In Theaters September 18, 2026,” the caption read.
A source previously told Life & Style exclusively that Sandra and Nicole are “pretty fired up” for the film, noting that it’s “not just going to be a nostalgic retread of the first movie.”
“It’s going to be a reinvention and hopefully more of a ‘water cooler’ kind of movie that gets people talking,” the insider added.
“This is going to be a Practical Magic for the people who made Big Little Lies a hit,” the source added. “Sandra loves that Nicole has this edgy sensibility she wants to bring to this project, which is going to be one big metaphor for women rediscovering their sexuality later in life.”
The insider concluded, “They’re both all-in on this and if anything, they wished it happened a lot sooner. It’s been pretty exciting how fast this sequel has come together and how the press and fans have been so supportive.”