Throughout One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2 , Marilyn Manson constructs a dark journey through death, violence, accusation, isolation, mortality, and the search for something beyond him. “Don’t Answer the Door” speaks of a voice being a guiding light in the darkness, while “None of the Suns” speaks of running away from the daylight and being “in the black.” By the time we arrive at “Lucifer’s Teardrop,” the journey has reached a different point. The darkness is still present, but the speaker is finally prepared to stand before what shines. “Lucifer’s Teardrop” is therefore less a departure from everything that came before it than a turning point within it. The fallen angel at the center of the song has been cast out, wounded, and changed by what happened to him, but he is no longer simply defined by the fall. He is “finding my way home.” That movement becomes especially important when considered alongside Manson’s own explanation of the song. He said that its title was inspired...
The Practical Magic 2 Recasting Controversy: Evan Rachel Wood and the Complicated Legacy of a Cult Classic
When Warner Bros. announced on June 11, 2024, that Practical Magic 2 was officially in development, the news was received as the return of a film that had acquired an extraordinary second life. The original Practical Magic, released in 1998, had not initially been the major success that its later reputation might suggest. Over the following decades, however, it developed a devoted audience, and the relationship between Sally and Gillian Owens became one of the film's defining attractions. The announcement of a sequel therefore carried a particular kind of nostalgia. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman were expected to return as Sally and Gillian, while producer Denise Di Novi and writer Akiva Goldsman were also involved. At that point, however, there was no public controversy concerning Evan Rachel Wood. The question of what would happen to Sally's daughters had simply not yet been answered.
The project became more concrete during 2025. On May 6, 2025, Warner Bros. announced a September 18, 2026 release date and confirmed Bullock and Kidman as returning stars. The sequel would ultimately draw from Alice Hoffman's 2021 novel The Book of Magic, which continues the story of the Owens family. New cast members were subsequently announced, including Joey King, Maisie Williams, Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña, and Solly McLeod. It became apparent that King and Williams would be playing the daughters of Sally Owens, the characters originally portrayed by Evan Rachel Wood and Alexandra Artrip. Thus, both of the young actresses from the original film were being replaced.
It was on July 11, 2025, that the first unmistakable controversy emerged. Wood addressed the subject herself on Instagram after receiving repeated questions about whether she would appear in the sequel. Her explanation was unusually direct. She said that she had not been asked to return, despite offering her services even if the filmmakers wanted only “one scene or one line.” She said she had been told that the role was being recast and emphasized: “It was not in my control or my choice. I would have happily rejoined my sisters.”
The project became more concrete during 2025. On May 6, 2025, Warner Bros. announced a September 18, 2026 release date and confirmed Bullock and Kidman as returning stars. The sequel would ultimately draw from Alice Hoffman's 2021 novel The Book of Magic, which continues the story of the Owens family. New cast members were subsequently announced, including Joey King, Maisie Williams, Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña, and Solly McLeod. It became apparent that King and Williams would be playing the daughters of Sally Owens, the characters originally portrayed by Evan Rachel Wood and Alexandra Artrip. Thus, both of the young actresses from the original film were being replaced.
It was on July 11, 2025, that the first unmistakable controversy emerged. Wood addressed the subject herself on Instagram after receiving repeated questions about whether she would appear in the sequel. Her explanation was unusually direct. She said that she had not been asked to return, despite offering her services even if the filmmakers wanted only “one scene or one line.” She said she had been told that the role was being recast and emphasized: “It was not in my control or my choice. I would have happily rejoined my sisters.”
That statement changed the nature of the story. This was no longer simply a question of whether a nearly forty-year-old actress could convincingly play the daughter she had portrayed at eleven. Wood was saying that she had wanted to participate and had even offered to return in a minimal capacity, but had not been given the opportunity. The emotional significance of that distinction became increasingly important as the sequel approached. She had not voluntarily walked away from the Owens family. According to her account, the production had decided to tell the story without her.
There was another important detail: Alexandra Artrip was also not returning. Artrip had played Antonia, Kylie's sister, in the original film, and Maisie Williams would take over that role. Consequently, the sequel was not replacing Wood alone. Both of Sally's onscreen daughters had been recast. This would later become an important part of the filmmakers' explanation, because the decision was presented as a broader creative decision concerning the ages and functions of the characters rather than an isolated decision concerning Wood.
The controversy then remained relatively quiet for roughly a year while production proceeded. Wood did not launch an extended public campaign against the sequel. Instead, she returned to the subject in July 2026, when she was asked about it while promoting The Shards. Her comments revealed that her disappointment was about more than simply losing a role. She explained that she had bonded with the original cast as a child and had imagined what it would mean to return to the famous Owens house nearly thirty years later and see the original actors as adults. She described the possibility of seeing “the history in our eyes” as something that could not be manufactured. “I’m sad that that doesn’t get to exist,” she said, “especially for the fans.”
There was another important detail: Alexandra Artrip was also not returning. Artrip had played Antonia, Kylie's sister, in the original film, and Maisie Williams would take over that role. Consequently, the sequel was not replacing Wood alone. Both of Sally's onscreen daughters had been recast. This would later become an important part of the filmmakers' explanation, because the decision was presented as a broader creative decision concerning the ages and functions of the characters rather than an isolated decision concerning Wood.
The controversy then remained relatively quiet for roughly a year while production proceeded. Wood did not launch an extended public campaign against the sequel. Instead, she returned to the subject in July 2026, when she was asked about it while promoting The Shards. Her comments revealed that her disappointment was about more than simply losing a role. She explained that she had bonded with the original cast as a child and had imagined what it would mean to return to the famous Owens house nearly thirty years later and see the original actors as adults. She described the possibility of seeing “the history in our eyes” as something that could not be manufactured. “I’m sad that that doesn’t get to exist,” she said, “especially for the fans.”
Wood also introduced an important literary dimension to the discussion. She had read Hoffman's The Book of Magic, and she believed that the version of Kylie found in that book could have provided a natural reason to bring her back. She explained that she thought it would have made sense “in the book,” but that the film was approaching the material differently. Her statement was significant because it suggested that the recasting was connected not merely to the actresses' ages but to the way the sequel had reworked the characters themselves.
Wood subsequently clarified this point at greater length. Her explanation concerned some substantial differences between Hoffman's novel and the film's interpretation of the daughters. According to Wood, the book's older daughter is around twenty-five, pregnant, and has avoided the family curse, while the younger daughter is the one who searches for a way to break it. The book also develops a queer dimension to the older daughter's character. Wood explained that the film changed these elements, making the character younger, removing the pregnancy and queer storyline, and shifting the curse-related storyline between the sisters. From her perspective, therefore, the film was no longer depicting the same version of Kylie that appears in Hoffman's book.
Wood subsequently clarified this point at greater length. Her explanation concerned some substantial differences between Hoffman's novel and the film's interpretation of the daughters. According to Wood, the book's older daughter is around twenty-five, pregnant, and has avoided the family curse, while the younger daughter is the one who searches for a way to break it. The book also develops a queer dimension to the older daughter's character. Wood explained that the film changed these elements, making the character younger, removing the pregnancy and queer storyline, and shifting the curse-related storyline between the sisters. From her perspective, therefore, the film was no longer depicting the same version of Kylie that appears in Hoffman's book.
This explanation makes the controversy more complicated than a straightforward complaint about being replaced. Wood was not arguing simply that she had played Kylie first and therefore should have retained the role. She was explaining why she thought her return might have worked within one version of the story but not within the version the filmmakers ultimately chose. The filmmakers, meanwhile, had their own explanation.
Director Susanne Bier addressed the issue publicly in connection with the Los Angeles premiere in early September 2026. Bier said that the recasting “was not a personal thing.” Her explanation was that the children in the story were “right out of college,” meaning that the production needed actresses who fit that stage of the characters' lives. “We had to recast,” she said.
That explanation is important because it does not directly contradict Wood's account. Wood herself had acknowledged that the film was approaching the material differently. The production was not claiming that Wood had behaved improperly or that there was some undisclosed professional dispute. Its public explanation was that the sequel's version of Kylie and Antonia required different actresses. Producer Denise Di Novi similarly characterized the daughters as different characters rather than reducing the issue simply to the chronological ages of the original actresses. The result is an unusual situation in which Wood's explanation and the production's explanation can partially coexist: the characters were changed, and Wood was disappointed that the production chose to change them without finding a way to include her.
The controversy intensified in early September 2026, however, when Wood made another public statement. She said that she appreciated Joey King reaching out to her because, in her words, “no one who worked on the original film did.” She called King “a sweetheart.”
Director Susanne Bier addressed the issue publicly in connection with the Los Angeles premiere in early September 2026. Bier said that the recasting “was not a personal thing.” Her explanation was that the children in the story were “right out of college,” meaning that the production needed actresses who fit that stage of the characters' lives. “We had to recast,” she said.
That explanation is important because it does not directly contradict Wood's account. Wood herself had acknowledged that the film was approaching the material differently. The production was not claiming that Wood had behaved improperly or that there was some undisclosed professional dispute. Its public explanation was that the sequel's version of Kylie and Antonia required different actresses. Producer Denise Di Novi similarly characterized the daughters as different characters rather than reducing the issue simply to the chronological ages of the original actresses. The result is an unusual situation in which Wood's explanation and the production's explanation can partially coexist: the characters were changed, and Wood was disappointed that the production chose to change them without finding a way to include her.
The controversy intensified in early September 2026, however, when Wood made another public statement. She said that she appreciated Joey King reaching out to her because, in her words, “no one who worked on the original film did.” She called King “a sweetheart.”
That brief statement changed the tone of the controversy. Until then, the public discussion had largely concerned casting and creative decisions. Now there was a question of personal communication. Wood was saying that the actress who had replaced her had contacted her, while apparently nobody else connected with the original film had done so. Entertainment outlets naturally interpreted this as a criticism of the original cast and filmmakers, particularly because Bullock, Kidman, Stockard Channing, and Dianne Wiest were returning.
Joey King's response made the situation still more interesting. At the Los Angeles premiere, King described her conversation with Wood as “lovely” and expressed gratitude for Wood's support. She praised Wood's original performance and said that Wood had made the role special when she played it as a child. King also expressed affection for Wood and appreciation for the kindness Wood had shown toward her and the rest of the cast.
That exchange effectively separated the new actress from the controversy surrounding the decision to recast. King did not make the decision to replace Wood. She inherited the role. And rather than treating the two actresses as rivals, the public statements from both women suggest mutual goodwill. This became particularly important when some fans began directing their anger toward King and Williams.
By September 3–4, 2026, the reaction had developed into calls from some fans for a boycott of Practical Magic 2. This was the point at which the matter had unquestionably become more than a private disappointment or a casting discussion. The recasting had become a genuine public controversy surrounding the sequel's release. Yet one of the most revealing responses came from Alexandra Artrip, the other original daughter, who had retired from acting as a child.
On September 4, 2026, Artrip addressed the reaction publicly. She acknowledged that fans were attempting to support her, Wood, and the original film, but said that she did not want her social media space to become a place for negativity. She specifically praised Joey King and Maisie Williams as “lovely actresses” and said that she was sure the production team had done what it believed was best for the film. Most importantly, she encouraged fans to “give it a shot” and “go in with an open mind.”
Artrip's response is significant because she was not speaking from the perspective of an outsider. She was one of the two original actresses who had actually been recast. Yet rather than turning her experience into a reason to reject the sequel, she explicitly asked fans not to use it to create negativity. She also emphasized that nothing could take away from what the original film meant to people and that she was happy the world of Practical Magic was continuing.
What remains notably absent from the public record is a direct statement from Sandra Bullock or Nicole Kidman explaining their personal relationship with Wood in connection with the recasting. They have continued to promote the sequel and discuss their own return to the Owens family, but the available reporting does not establish that either actress personally had a falling-out with Wood. It would therefore be premature to turn the controversy into a claim of a Bullock-Wood or Kidman-Wood feud.
At the same time, calling the situation a controversy is entirely appropriate. By September 2026, the matter had generated sustained entertainment coverage, statements from the original actresses, explanations from the director, public discussion about the treatment of Wood, criticism of the recasting, and calls from some fans to boycott the sequel. The fact that Artrip felt compelled to ask people to stop turning the situation into negativity is itself evidence of how far the discussion had spread.
What makes the story particularly compelling is that Wood's position is not as simple as “I was replaced and I'm angry.” Her public statements have consistently contained two ideas at once. She has expressed genuine sadness and disappointment over losing the opportunity to return, particularly because she believed an adult reunion with the original cast could have captured something that could never be recreated later. At the same time, she has repeatedly wished the new cast well and, most significantly, praised Joey King. The actress replacing her has reciprocated that goodwill. Meanwhile, Artrip has taken an explicitly conciliatory position and asked fans to give the sequel a chance.
The controversy ultimately reveals a tension inherent in almost every legacy sequel: what does it mean to continue a story without necessarily preserving everyone who created its original incarnation? For the filmmakers, Practical Magic 2 is a continuation of the Owens family story, now involving a younger generation and new actors. For Wood, the sequel represented something else that was possible only once: the opportunity for the children who appeared in the 1998 film to return nearly three decades later and stand beside the actors who had played their family. That particular reunion cannot be recreated. Whether its absence constitutes a failure of the sequel is a question for viewers to decide, but its loss clearly mattered to Wood.
Joey King's response made the situation still more interesting. At the Los Angeles premiere, King described her conversation with Wood as “lovely” and expressed gratitude for Wood's support. She praised Wood's original performance and said that Wood had made the role special when she played it as a child. King also expressed affection for Wood and appreciation for the kindness Wood had shown toward her and the rest of the cast.
That exchange effectively separated the new actress from the controversy surrounding the decision to recast. King did not make the decision to replace Wood. She inherited the role. And rather than treating the two actresses as rivals, the public statements from both women suggest mutual goodwill. This became particularly important when some fans began directing their anger toward King and Williams.
By September 3–4, 2026, the reaction had developed into calls from some fans for a boycott of Practical Magic 2. This was the point at which the matter had unquestionably become more than a private disappointment or a casting discussion. The recasting had become a genuine public controversy surrounding the sequel's release. Yet one of the most revealing responses came from Alexandra Artrip, the other original daughter, who had retired from acting as a child.
On September 4, 2026, Artrip addressed the reaction publicly. She acknowledged that fans were attempting to support her, Wood, and the original film, but said that she did not want her social media space to become a place for negativity. She specifically praised Joey King and Maisie Williams as “lovely actresses” and said that she was sure the production team had done what it believed was best for the film. Most importantly, she encouraged fans to “give it a shot” and “go in with an open mind.”
Artrip's response is significant because she was not speaking from the perspective of an outsider. She was one of the two original actresses who had actually been recast. Yet rather than turning her experience into a reason to reject the sequel, she explicitly asked fans not to use it to create negativity. She also emphasized that nothing could take away from what the original film meant to people and that she was happy the world of Practical Magic was continuing.
What remains notably absent from the public record is a direct statement from Sandra Bullock or Nicole Kidman explaining their personal relationship with Wood in connection with the recasting. They have continued to promote the sequel and discuss their own return to the Owens family, but the available reporting does not establish that either actress personally had a falling-out with Wood. It would therefore be premature to turn the controversy into a claim of a Bullock-Wood or Kidman-Wood feud.
At the same time, calling the situation a controversy is entirely appropriate. By September 2026, the matter had generated sustained entertainment coverage, statements from the original actresses, explanations from the director, public discussion about the treatment of Wood, criticism of the recasting, and calls from some fans to boycott the sequel. The fact that Artrip felt compelled to ask people to stop turning the situation into negativity is itself evidence of how far the discussion had spread.
What makes the story particularly compelling is that Wood's position is not as simple as “I was replaced and I'm angry.” Her public statements have consistently contained two ideas at once. She has expressed genuine sadness and disappointment over losing the opportunity to return, particularly because she believed an adult reunion with the original cast could have captured something that could never be recreated later. At the same time, she has repeatedly wished the new cast well and, most significantly, praised Joey King. The actress replacing her has reciprocated that goodwill. Meanwhile, Artrip has taken an explicitly conciliatory position and asked fans to give the sequel a chance.
The controversy ultimately reveals a tension inherent in almost every legacy sequel: what does it mean to continue a story without necessarily preserving everyone who created its original incarnation? For the filmmakers, Practical Magic 2 is a continuation of the Owens family story, now involving a younger generation and new actors. For Wood, the sequel represented something else that was possible only once: the opportunity for the children who appeared in the 1998 film to return nearly three decades later and stand beside the actors who had played their family. That particular reunion cannot be recreated. Whether its absence constitutes a failure of the sequel is a question for viewers to decide, but its loss clearly mattered to Wood.
The latest development came on September 22, 2026, when Joey King addressed the controversy surrounding her casting as Kylie Owens on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast. King acknowledged that it had initially been “very hard” for audiences to accept that Evan Rachel Wood and Alexandra Artrip would not return, but said that the criticism ultimately did not affect her personally. “My real life is great,” she explained, adding that the negative reaction “doesn’t permeate” her life or her work. King also discussed her decision to reach out directly to Wood after seeing Wood say that she wished her well, explaining that the two eventually spoke and that the conversation was “really nice.” She again described the recasting as connected to the ages of the characters in Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, noting that the daughters are “just out of college” in the book. This comes only weeks after King had responded directly to a fan who said her casting had “completely ruined” the film, asking viewers to “open your mind” and see how much fun she had making it. The fan subsequently changed their position and publicly apologized. King’s latest comments therefore add another dimension to the controversy: while the recasting continued to generate strong reactions among some fans and remained intertwined with Wood’s public comments about her exclusion, King herself has characterized the situation as something she has been able to separate from her personal life and has emphasized that there is no personal animosity between herself and Wood.
As of September 22, 2026, there has been no word if Evan Rachel Wood has seen Practical Magic 2 nor has she been asked if she ever will see it. Meanwhile, Alexandra Artrip has gone to the the theater and seen the movie twice, and offered her reviews of the film on her Instagram page.
Chronology at a glance
June 11, 2024: Warner Bros. officially announces Practical Magic 2. Bullock and Kidman are expected to return.
May 6, 2025: Warner Bros. announces the September 18, 2026 release date and confirms Bullock and Kidman.
July 2025: Evan Rachel Wood publicly says she was not asked to return, offered to appear even for one scene or one line, and was told Kylie was being recast.
July 2026: Wood says she is sad to have missed the chance to reunite with the original cast and discusses how the sequel differs from The Book of Magic.
Late July 2026: Wood further explains the differences between the book's Kylie and the version used in the film.
Early September 2026: Wood says Joey King reached out to her but that no one who worked on the original film did.
Early September 2026: Director Susanne Bier says the recasting was not personal and that the daughters are recent college graduates in the sequel.
September 4, 2026: Alexandra Artrip asks fans not to turn the recasting controversy into negativity and encourages them to give the sequel a chance.
June 11, 2024: Warner Bros. officially announces Practical Magic 2. Bullock and Kidman are expected to return.
May 6, 2025: Warner Bros. announces the September 18, 2026 release date and confirms Bullock and Kidman.
July 2025: Evan Rachel Wood publicly says she was not asked to return, offered to appear even for one scene or one line, and was told Kylie was being recast.
July 2026: Wood says she is sad to have missed the chance to reunite with the original cast and discusses how the sequel differs from The Book of Magic.
Late July 2026: Wood further explains the differences between the book's Kylie and the version used in the film.
Early September 2026: Wood says Joey King reached out to her but that no one who worked on the original film did.
Early September 2026: Director Susanne Bier says the recasting was not personal and that the daughters are recent college graduates in the sequel.
September 4, 2026: Alexandra Artrip asks fans not to turn the recasting controversy into negativity and encourages them to give the sequel a chance.