‘Practical Magic 2,’ the Sequel to a 28-Year-Old Box Office Bomb, Opens to Lackluster $30 Million

“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.”