HBO Max Is Making a ‘Practical Magic’ Prequel Series—Here’s Everything We Know
I consider Practical Magic to be one of the greatest (and perhaps underrated) Halloween movies around. So the news that HBO Max—the yet-to-launch streaming service that will also be home to Friends once it leaves Netflix—is developing a prequel is extremely good news. The story of sisters Sally (Sandra Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) who are born with magical powers they try to avoid—until they can’t—is the perfect mix of comedy, drama, romance, and horror. Oh, and it features some extremely great hair.
Variety reports that the streaming platform has ordered a pilot for the one-hour show called Rules of Magic. It will center around siblings Jet, Franny, and Vincent Owens who have “abnormalities that have kept them isolated.” They soon discover that they are descended from a line of witches.
Here’s everything we know so far.
The source material is based on a book. The series will be based on the Alice Hoffman novels Rules of Magic and Practical Magic, the latter of which was also adapted for the 1998 movie.
The setting won’t be Massachusetts, where the 1998 film mostly took place. According to the Variety report, Rules of Magic will be set in 1960s New York City.
There’s a strong connection to the movie. Fans of Practical Magic, of course, remember Kidman and Bullock’s magically powerful aunts from the movie, where they were played by Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing. Rules of Magic is basically the Franny and Jet origin story. As for their brother, Variety says he will leave “an unexpected legacy.”
The series’s writer has a history of developing strong female characters. Per Variety, the show will be written and produced by Jessica Jones creator Melissa Rosenberg.
The release date and cast are still unknown. The show is still in preproduction, so it’s unclear at this time when it will premiere—or who will be playing the main roles.
This post will be updated as new details emerge.