This article contains some spoilers from Practical Magic 2, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy and The Sex and the City TV spinoff And Just Like That.
Though I went into Practical Magic 2 without knowing the fate of Aiden Quinn’s character, Gary, in retrospect, I should’ve expected him to be out of the picture when the film arrived in theaters on the 2026 movie schedule, considering Quinn wasn’t part of the cast this time around. And yet, I was still caught a bit off guard near the beginning when we learned that Gary, the love interest of Sandra Bullock’s Sally Owens in the original film, had died not long after they got married. The Owens curse that seemed to be lifted at the end of Practical Magic apparently struck again, leaving Sally grief-stricken as a widow twice over.
This Has Happened Before
I’ll say up front, I haven’t read Alice Hoffman’s Practical Magic, or the sequel (The Book of Magic), on which this new book-to-screen movie is based, so I can’t comment on the plot of the books. However, as a fan of the 1998 movie, I was immediately frustrated, because this isn’t the first rom-com in recent years to do this. Those who’ve seen Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy will recall that Mark Darcy (Colin Firth’s character) was deceased at the start of the 2025 film. And when Sex and the City returned with And Just Like That, Carrie Bradshaw’s husband, John (aka Mr. Big) dies of a heart attack.
In all three cases, the death of their spouse was devastating to the main character, understandably so, and also for fans who rooted for the couple to get together in previous films (and a TV show, for SatC). Also, in all three cases, it happens at the start (or before the start) of their new story. Of course, since it’s a rom-com, they’re now single and available to find love again, which I’m assuming is the intention. It could also be cast availability, after all, though according to what Aidan Quinn told Spin 1038 (via Deadline), he wasn’t asked to return for the Practical Magic sequel.
I Do Want To See More Stories Like These… But Does It Have To Be In The Sequel?
Now, I need to make it clear: I absolutely want to see more movies about women who are middle-aged or older finding love. I actually very much enjoyed the chemistry between Sandra Bullock and Lee Pace in Practical Magic 2. I also really liked Bridget Jones’s romantic shenanigans in Mad About the Boy.
We need more romantic stories focused on women of a certain age getting back out there in the wake of divorce, the death of a spouse, or some other circumstance that leads them to seek a partner. Get out there and find love, have some fun, make us laugh, swoon and feel all the feels. I’m all for seeing that in more movies, but I don’t think that these sequels necessarily need to be the place to do that, especially if there are better ways to progress the female lead’s story without it hinging on her falling in love (again).
What If The Rom-Com Focused On An Already-Established Love Story?
What if Sally was already in love at the start of Practical Magic 2? What if she’s been happily married for years when this new movie picks up, and we get to see what 20+ years later looks like for Sally and Gary as part of this new story?
I know that two people falling in love is a rom-com’s bread and butter, but we’re in sequel territory here. Exploring and celebrating a couple’s relationship — the humor, the attraction, the history — beyond the early days is another approach a story can take, and one we don’t see as much at the center of a rom-com. If continuing the character’s journey in love is a key part of the main plot of the movie, there are ways to do that without having to reboot the love story entirely.
I love romantic comedies, and I completely understand why we romanticize the start of the love story in so many rom-coms, romance movies, books, songs, etc. I’m not opposed to more stories about people falling in love, but I would love to see more movies show the middle and later years of long-term relationships. After all, marriage isn’t just the beginning part. I would love to see more romantic comedies that celebrate the deeper love that comes with years of being together and putting in the work to stay together through it all. Rom-com sequels are an ideal place to do that, since we’re already invested in the couple.
But What About The Curse?
In the case of Practical Magic 2, because Gary’s death ties into the overall plot of the movie, I understand that the existence of the curse is a factor here, but I think — had they wanted to keep Sally and Gary’s relationship going for this new story — it could’ve been established that Sally had experienced the curse already with her first husband, and now it had moved to her daughters. I’m just throwing that out there, as I understand that the overall story hinged on the curse needing to be properly broken. They could have made it work.
Also, if they wanted an Owens woman to find love in this new movie, why not Gillian? I would love to see Nicole Kidman’s character find a spark with someone who matches her energy, loves her for who she is, respects her independence, and just wants to be within her orbit.
There were a lot of things I liked about Practical Magic 2 (I probably liked it more than many of the critics, though maybe not quite as much as other fans) but the explanation of Gary’s death had me flashing back to the other recent examples I mentioned, and it’s really putting a damper on the idea of sequels to rom-coms for me. I love the idea of following up on beloved movies and characters, but I do hope we see some different (less fatal) ways to bring the lead characters back and deliver another great story.
