Sony Pictures Releasing
The Enduring Spell of “The Craft”
Three decades after its initial release, the supernatural thriller “The Craft” continues to exert a powerful influence over audiences. Recent metrics from the analytics platform FlixPatrol confirm that this quintessential cult favorite has surged back into the top 10 most-streamed titles on HBO Max within the United States. This resurgence highlights a broader cultural trend: viewers are eagerly embracing the “spooky season” well before October arrives. The platform is currently seeing a massive uptick in viewership for nostalgic supernatural hits, including “Beetlejuice,” the 1994 adaptation of “Interview with the Vampire,” and the perennial favorite “Practical Magic.” The latter is particularly relevant right now, as the highly anticipated sequel, “Practical Magic 2,” has just debuted. (You can read our review here.)
A Unique Take on High School Gothic
Helmed by director Andrew Fleming, who collaborated on the screenplay with Peter Filardi, the film follows a quartet of marginalized high school students who discover the dangerous allure of witchcraft. They initially harness these newfound powers to exact revenge on those who have bullied or ostracized them. While the narrative shares DNA with other iconic dark teen comedies-such as the biting satire of “Mean Girls,” the campy vengeance of “Carrie,” or the supernatural angst found in “The Faculty”-“The Craft” occupies a distinct space in the genre. It manages to balance the visceral thrills of horror with a genuine exploration of teenage isolation, setting it apart from the typical tropes found in high-school-centric cinema.
