Overview
- Evan Rachel Wood confirmed she was not invited to reprise her 1998 role and said she offered to return even for a single scene, a point she made in an Instagram post and again in a red‑carpet interview on Monday.
- Producers recast Wood’s character with Joey King and cast Maisie Williams for the other younger Owens role while Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest are returning.
- Wood told Entertainment Tonight she is “sad” to miss a reunion with the original cast and said the film “seems like” it will not strictly follow Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, which she read.
- Other original players including Alexandra Artrip and Aidan Quinn were also not asked back and their parts were recast, making legacy continuity a recurring point in recent coverage.
- With publicity and panels underway and a Sept. 11, 2026 theatrical date set, producers and new cast members are promoting the film and stressing respect for the franchise while media attention stays focused on casting choices and fan expectations.