Honestly, if you grew up in the 90s, The Craft wasn't just a movie. It was a whole personality. So, when news dropped that Blumhouse was tackling The Craft movie remake—which turned out to be a "soft sequel" titled The Craft: Legacy—the collective internet groan was loud enough to wake the dead. People were protective. They didn't want a shiny, sanitized version of Nancy Downs’ chaotic energy or Sarah’s natural-born witchcraft.
But here’s the thing about the 2020 version directed by Zoe Lister-Jones. It isn't trying to replace the 1996 original. It’s weird. It’s earnest. It swaps out the "darkness for the sake of darkness" for something much more contemporary, and yeah, maybe a bit more hopeful.
What actually happened with The Craft movie remake?
Most people go into The Craft movie remake expecting a beat-for-beat retelling. You know the drill: the new girl moves to town, finds three outcasts, they invoke the spirit, someone gets too powerful, and everything goes to hell in a handbasket involving snakes and mirrors. Legacy follows the skeleton of that plot but changes the marrow.
Lily, played by Cailee Spaeny, moves to a new town with her mom (Michelle Monaghan) to live with her mom’s new boyfriend (David Duchovny) and his three sons. It’s a messy, blended-family dynamic that feels way more grounded than the original's setup. She meets her coven—Frankie, Tabby, and Lourdes—and they realize she's the "fourth" they’ve been waiting for.
What’s wild is how the movie handles the "villain" aspect. In '96, the threat was internal. It was Nancy losing her mind and the group turning on itself. In the 2020 version, the threat is external. It's about toxic masculinity and the way society tries to suppress feminine power.
Breaking down the Coven vibes
The new girls—Lovie Simone, Gideon Adlon, and Zoey Luna—bring a totally different energy. In the original, the girls felt like they were on the edge of a breakdown at any moment. In Legacy, they actually like each other.
It’s refreshing.
💡 You might also like: Not the Nine O'Clock News: Why the Satirical Giant Still Matters
They support each other through weird periods and social awkwardness. There’s a scene where they freeze time to help Lily out of an embarrassing situation at school, and it feels like true friendship rather than a power trip. For some fans, this was "too soft." For others, it was a necessary evolution of what "sisterhood" looks like in the 21st century.
The twist that connects the dots
If you haven't seen it yet, stop reading for a second. Okay, you’re still here? The big reveal is that Lily isn't just some random witch. She’s actually the daughter of Nancy Downs.
Yes, Fairuza Balk makes a cameo.
This single choice changed The Craft movie remake from a standalone reboot into a piece of lore. It suggests that the power didn't just vanish after Sarah bound Nancy’s powers in the first film. It lived on. It was inherited. Seeing Nancy in a psychiatric facility again, but this time as a mother, adds a layer of tragedy to the original film that I don't think anyone was prepared for.
It also explains why Lily’s power feels so much more volatile and "natural" compared to the others. She’s literally a legacy.
Why the critics were so split
The movie sits at a mid-range score on Rotten Tomatoes, and it’s easy to see why. It’s a tonal 180. The 1996 film was peak 90s grunge—heavy eyeliner, Doc Martens, and a soundtrack that featured Letters to Cleo and Portishead. It felt dangerous.
📖 Related: New Movies in Theatre: What Most People Get Wrong About This Month's Picks
The 2020 film feels... woke? But not in the way people use that word as a pejorative. It’s conscious. It deals with trans identity (Lourdes is played by Zoey Luna, a trans actress), it deals with consent, and it deals with the concept of "toxic" power.
Some viewers felt the ending was rushed. I kind of agree. The final showdown with David Duchovny’s character (who turns out to be a cult-leading warlock of sorts) happens very quickly. It lacks the visceral, bone-crunching intensity of the final fight between Sarah and Nancy in the original. It feels more like a superhero movie climax than a folk-horror ending.
The aesthetic shift
Lister-Jones went for a specific look. It’s colorful. There are glitter tears. It feels like a mood board from a very specific era of Tumblr or Pinterest. If the original was black lace and leather, this one is tie-dye and crystals.
- 1996: Manon is a terrifying, neutral force of nature.
- 2020: The "Spirit" is something more internal and shared.
- 1996: Rituals involve blood and candles in a dark forest.
- 2020: Rituals involve light, colors, and communal affirmation.
It’s a different vibe for a different generation.
The legacy of the remake in 2026
Looking back at The Craft movie remake now, it served as a springboard for its cast. Cailee Spaeny has since exploded, taking on massive roles in Priscilla and Alien: Romulus. Her performance in Legacy showed that quiet, simmering intensity that makes her so watchable.
The film also pushed the conversation about how we handle "witch" stories. We’ve moved away from the "wicked witch" trope and toward the "reclaimed power" trope. You can see the influence of this shift in shows like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina or even Agatha All Along.
👉 See also: A Simple Favor Blake Lively: Why Emily Nelson Is Still the Ultimate Screen Mystery
People still argue about which one is better. Most say the original. That's fair. The original is a masterpiece of teen horror. But the remake (or sequel, if we're being pedantic) tried to do something risky: it tried to be kind. In a genre that usually rewards cruelty, that was a bold move.
Navigating the lore: What to do next
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of The Craft, don't just stop at the movies. The 1996 film was actually a massive influence on real-world Wicca and paganism in the late 90s, even if the "magic" in the movie was mostly Hollywood flash.
Watch the "making of" features. The behind-the-scenes stories of the 1996 set are legendary. They actually had a technical consultant, Pat Devin, who was a member of the Covenant of the Goddess. During the beach scene where they invoke Manon, thousands of dead jellyfish actually washed up on the shore. Talk about an omen.
Compare the soundtracks. Music is the soul of these movies. The first one is a time capsule of alternative rock. The second features a cover of "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" that perfectly encapsulates the shift from angst to empowerment.
Follow the cast’s evolution. Check out Priscilla to see how far Cailee Spaeny has come, or watch Yellowjackets to see how the "teen girls in the woods" trope has evolved into something even darker and more complex.
The reality of The Craft movie remake is that it’s a bridge. It bridges the gap between the cynical Gen X era and the socially conscious Gen Z era. It might not have the "Light as a feather, stiff as a board" cultural impact of its predecessor, but it holds a mirror up to how we view power today. Sometimes, that mirror shows us something a little softer, a little more inclusive, and a little less likely to end in a trailer park fire.
The magic is still there. It just looks different now.