Evan Rachel Wood Not Returning for "Practical Magic 2": "It Was Not in My Control"

Evan Rachel Wood will not be returning for "Practical Magic 2".

Wood, 37, announced that she would not return on Friday in an Instagram Stories post. "I am getting asked about this a lot, so l'll just clear it up now;I was not asked to come back and be in the #PracticalMagic sequel. l offered my services, even if it was one scene or one line," she wrote.

The Instagram Stories post continued, "I was told they are re-casting. I am sorry to disappoint the fans. It was not in my control or my choice. I would have happily rejoined my sisters." 

In the original film, Wood played Kylie Owens, the eldest daughter of Sally Owens (Sandra Bullock), who goes to live with her eccentric aunts after the death of her father Michael (Mark Feuerstein).

The announcement came briefly following the news that Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest are reprising their roles of the aunts to Sally Owens (Bullock, 60) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman) from the original 1998 romantic fantasy.

Channing, 81, will once again play Frances "Franny" Owens, the more no-nonsense of the pair, while Wiest, 77, returns as the kind, whimsical, understanding Bridget "Jet" Owens.

New additions to the cast in the follow-up to the iconic witchy romance are Joey King as Sally's daughter. Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, Xolo Maridueña, and Solly McLeod have also joined the ensemble. 

In a statement, the filmmaking team behind "Practical Magic 2" — which includes director Susanne Bier, taking over from Griffin Dunne — said, “Twenty-five years ago, Sally, Gillian, Aunt Jet and Aunt Franny flew off the pages of Alice Hoffman’s beloved novel and into theaters around the world, and we are thrilled to bring the Owens family back to the big screen with Joey, Lee, Maisie, Solly and Xolo joining the next chapter in our story."

"The enduring affection for these characters has been our inspiration to deliver the next installment in the Owens’ story to new fans, and those who’ve been with us since the beginning," they added.

"Practical Magic", based on Hoffman's 1995 novel of the same name, stars Kidman and Bullock as the Owens sisters, a pair of witches descended from a fictional survivor of the Salem Witch Trials who are fighting off a curse that kills the men they fall in love with, while learning to accept the most magical parts of themselves.

The first “Practical Magic” was not a commercial success, earning $68.3 million worldwide against its $75 million budget.

However, it developed a cult following on home entertainment. In an age of diminishing IP, that’s enough to justify a sequel.

Production is currently underway on “Practical Magic 2,” which will be released in theaters on September 18, 2026.