I Haven't Watched Many Big Movies Like Practical Magic 2 Starring Middle-Aged Women, So I Did A Deep Dive

Last weekend I started the fall season at the movies by catching Practical Magic 2. I was a fan of the original movie for it being one of those cozy autumn movies to throw on when I’m not feeling a horror film. While I was watching it, I thought about how nice and rare it is to see Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman on the big screen again. And then from there, how few and far between it is to see women in that age group in big studio films like this. Let’s talk about it.

Practical Magic 2 Made Me Question Something

When it comes to movies, it still feels like there’s a giant gap in the female experience somewhere between one’s late 30s and 60s. I guess Hollywood doesn’t like to talk about women’s lives once they’re typically mothers or have arrived in what’s defined as their middle-aged years. I think it’s damaging too, because it makes women unconsciously feel like life ends after their 30s. Meanwhile, male actors are shown as viable to do any sort of film from action to comedy no matter what age they are. Heck, Liam Neeson’s still doing action movies well into his 70s.

Obviously, I’ve realized how sexism permeates in Hollywood before. The thing that I started pondering after watching Practical Magic 2 is how many movies starring women in the age group of Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman right now have come from studios, and had big opening weekends like the sequel did. So, I looked into it.

What Other Movies Starring Middle-Age Women Have Been Hits?

I looked into the ten top grossing movies I could find led by women who were in their later 50s and early-to-mid 60s when the movie was released, and you know what? It was better than I thought it was going to be. Take a look, and then I’ll talk about it:

I mean, there’s a reason Meryl Streep is the queen. She’s got the highest-grossing movie by far with Mamma Mia!, but takes up four spots on this list. Knowing that Meryl Streep has been able to really thrive during her 50s and 60s is really impressive to me, but she’s also kind of one of the few exceptions, right?

Not every talented actress in this age group is showing out with movies like Streep has, and it also helps that she filled a hole during the early 2000s, when romantic comedies could be box office hits, and were expanding beyond stories only about women in their 20s and 30s.

The only other repeater on the list is Jamie Lee Curtis, who’s found some winners in the past decade with sequels to favorite roles of hers. I know I’ve really appreciated seeing her remain as a leading lady, and not simply mom roles in recent years.

When these movies weren’t coming from Streep or Curtis, they were coming from Diane Keaton with her team-up with Jack Nicholson in Something’s Gotta Give. Roberts’ rom-com comeback from a few years ago. Then, there’s Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All At Once starring Michelle Yeoh – the only woman of color on this list. And, Helen Mirren as one of the most famous women ever, Queen Elizabeth II.

I look at this list, and I feel really empowered by these movies, because it shows the audience is there. And, each one of them did fill the similar void like Practical Magic 2 does. We just need more smart movies made about women during this era in life. I hope Practical Magic 2 continues to be one of the successful 2026 movie releases, and Hollywood takes more chances on films about women from a variety of ages.