Sandra Bullock has revealed why Aidan Quinn's character won't be appearing in the upcoming sequel to the beloved 1998 film Practical Magic. The actress confirmed the absence of Quinn's character, Investigator Gary Hallet, during a presentation of Practical Magic 2 at CinemaCon on April 14.
Bullock hinted at the reason behind Quinn's exclusion with a cryptic remark: "If you know the original film, you can probably guess why." This comment references the central curse that plagues the Owens family—a supernatural affliction that causes the death of any man who falls in love with a witch from their lineage.
In the original film, Quinn played Gary Hallet, the love interest of Bullock's character Sally Owens. Despite the curse, the two characters ultimately found happiness together. However, the trailer for Practical Magic 2 suggests that Gary has met his demise in the years between the two films. In one scene, Sally explains to a newcomer played by Lee Pace: "Everyone we love dies," with her sister Gillian (Nicole Kidman) adding, "A really horrible death. It's not great for the Tinder bio."
Interestingly, Quinn had expressed interest in returning for the sequel. In a February interview with SPIN 1038, he stated: "I would have said yes, but I wasn't asked." Despite not being included in the new film, Quinn spoke fondly of his experience working with Bullock and Kidman, saying: "They were both great to work with. You know, most of my stuff was with Sandy [Bullock], but they were both phenomenal to work with. We had a good time."
The original Practical Magic followed the story of sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, descendants of a long line of witches cursed to watch their lovers die. The film became a cult classic, celebrated for its themes of sisterhood, magic, and romance. The sequel will reunite Bullock and Kidman as they return to the world of the Owens family witches.
Practical Magic 2 is currently in production, with fans eagerly awaiting more details about how the story will continue without one of the original film's key romantic characters.