‘Practical Magic’ Opens to $28 Million as Post-Summer Box Office Faces Sluggish Start

“Practical Magic 2,” the sequel to the 1998 hit starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, debuted at the top of the box office during the first post-summer weekend, earning $13 million on its opening day across 4,146 theaters. With a $75 million budget, the film is on track for a domestic opening weekend of $28-30 million, presenting a challenge for Warner Bros. as it attempts to revitalize its box office performance for 2026.

Despite mixed critic reviews, reflecting a 37% Rotten Tomatoes score, the film has resonated with its cult fanbase, predominantly millennial women, who have given it a strong 93% audience score and a B+ from CinemaScore, an improvement from the B- received by its predecessor. PostTrak scores indicate a 4.5/5 rating. To broaden its appeal, the sequel must attract a wider female audience in a September market that features male-focused titles like “Resident Evil” and family-oriented animated features such as “Forgotten Island.”

The film performed particularly well among women aged 35-49, receiving an A- CinemaScore. Its opening night crowd was predominantly female (75%), with the highest grades coming from the 35-49 age group. However, the film lags in attracting Gen Z viewers, a demographic crucial for legacyquels' success. In second place is “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which has earned $8.7 million in its seventh weekend, close to passing “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” as the highest-grossing movie domestically before adjusting for inflation.

Universal’s “The Odyssey” holds third place with $8.1 million from its ninth weekend, surpassing the $600 million mark in domestic grosses and becoming Universal's highest-grossing film ever, surpassing the $1.67 billion global gross of “Jurassic World” in 2015. “Coyote vs. Acme” by Ketchup holds fourth place with $6.3 million in its third weekend, totaling $47.8 million domestically.

The fifth spot is claimed by the action film “Runner,” starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson, which debuted with a $6 million opening from 2,528 locations. Despite a $2.5 million opening day, “Runner” was the second highest-grossing movie on Friday night, trailing “Practical Magic 2.”