Evan Rachel Wood Speaks Out on Practical Magic 2 Recasting

There’s already a sequel nobody asked for, and then there’s Practical Magic 2 — a follow-up fans have been whispering about since the Clinton administration. But as Warner Bros. gets ready to release the long-awaited sequel on Sept. 10, the conversation has pivoted from pure nostalgia to a genuine Hollywood drama: original cast member Evan Rachel Wood was not invited back, and she’s been remarkably open about how it all went down.

The actress, who played a young Kylie Owens in Practical Magic, revealed that none of her former Practical Magic co-stars reached out when she learned she wouldn’t be reprising the role for the sequel. The only person who did, she says, was the new Kylie — Joey King.

Why Evan Rachel Wood Is Speaking Out

Speaking via an Instagram story picked up by Entertainment Weekly, Wood made her feelings quietly clear: “I really appreciated Joey King reaching out to me because no one who worked on the original film did. She’s a sweetheart.” For a movie built on sisterhood and family magic, that detail landed with extra sting — especially given how much the original’s cast bonded on set.

This isn’t the first time Wood has addressed the recasting. Earlier in the summer she told Entertainment Tonight she was “sad” not to be asked back, because she and the rest of the child cast “bonded with that cast so much as children. To miss out on the opportunity to look at that cast and look at that house as an adult and see the history in our eyes, it’s something that can’t be faked.”

She even went public last year about having “offered my services” for the sequel — “even if it was one scene or one line” — and being told the role was being recast. That message, she stressed, was not her choice, insisting she “would have happily rejoined my sisters.”

The Recasting, Explained

In the original 1998 movie, Wood and Alexandra Artrip played Kylie and Antonia Owens, the daughters of Sandra Bullock’s Sally. The sequel ages the next generation into young adults fresh out of college, which meant both roles needed a reset. Joey King steps into Kylie, while Game of Thrones alum Maisie Williams takes over as Antonia — a casting decision the site covered back when it was first announced.

Director Susanne Bier addressed the recasting head-on at the sequel’s Los Angeles premiere: “It was not a personal thing. The kids in the story are right out of college, so it wasn’t really a question. We had to recast.” For Bier, who previously collaborated with Nicole Kidman on the HBO series The Undoing, the reasoning was logistical rather than personal.

What Wood Thinks of the Sequel’s Approach

Wood has also been candid that she’s not entirely sure the sequel sticks to its source material. The film is adapted from Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, the sequel to her original novel Practical Magic that inspired the first movie — and Wood has her doubts about how closely the story follows it.

“I read the book and it seems like they’re not following the book,” she said. “I think in the book it would have made sense to bring me back. I think in the way they’re redoing it and approaching it, it didn’t make sense.” It’s a fair critique from someone who grew up in this world, even if she won’t be part of the next chapter.

Joey King’s Graceful Response

For her part, King has handled the situation with a warmth that echoes the film’s own spirit. Speaking at the premiere, she described a “lovely” conversation with Wood about taking over the role she made famous as a child.

“I just was so appreciative of the support that she showed to me and to the rest of the cast. She is so talented and so beautiful and she made this role so special when she was a young girl,” King said. “I feel so grateful to be able to play Kylie at this age but I love Evan so much and I’m so appreciative of her kind words and the exchange that her and I shared.”

That kind of public goodwill between an outgoing and incoming performer is rare, and it’s a good sign for fans who were worried the recasting might create real tension behind the scenes.

Why This Sequel Matters

Here’s the thing about Practical Magic: it wasn’t exactly a blockbuster when it hit theaters in October 1998. It arrived to so-so reviews and modest box office, but it found its audience on cable and VHS, slowly accruing the devoted fanbase it has today. It became shorthand for cozy black-magic girl-power comfort viewing — the kind of movie people put on when they want to feel like they’re wrapped in a warm, witchy blanket.

Three decades of that love is exactly why a sequel now carries so much weight. The original’s blend of tone — funny, romantic, a little bit dark, deeply tied to family — doesn’t easily survive a straightforward update. Recasting the daughters was always going to be the trickiest call, because so many fans grew up alongside Wood and Artrip on screen.

If you haven’t revisited the original in a while, now’s a good moment to catch up before the sequel lands. And if you’re a fan of the stars involved, there’s plenty of their other work worth revisiting — from Wood’s layered Westworld run to King’s Kissing Booth movies and Williams’ turn in Westeros.

Where the Franchise Goes From Here

Ultimately, the recasting drama is a reminder that Hollywood sequels are always a balancing act between honoring the past and building something new. Practical Magic 2 is betting that the grown-up Owens daughters — played by King and Williams — can carry the magic forward even as the original faces of the franchise, Bullock and Kidman, return in their iconic roles as the aunts.

Bier’s track record suggests she knows how to balance legacy with fresh faces. Her collaboration with Kidman on The Undoing proved she can bring a refined, suspenseful touch to star-driven material, and her history with Sandra Bullock on Bird Box shows she knows how to coax a grounded, emotional performance from a big-name lead.

Whether the recasting controversy becomes a footnote or a lasting talking point may depend entirely on how the film lands with audiences. If King and Williams nail the beloved roles, the noise around who isn’t in the movie will fade fast. If the sequel stumbles, the “why didn’t they just bring Evan Rachel Wood back” crowd will have plenty to say.

The open question is whether Practical Magic 2 can capture what made the original endure — not just the supernatural trappings, but the sense that these are women who would do anything for each other. That’s the magic fans are really showing up for, and the recasting drama has only put more eyes on it.

Practical Magic 2 opens in theaters Sept. 10. Are you planning to catch it in its opening week, or will you revisit the 1998 original first before committing? Drop your thoughts in the comments.