'Practical Magic 2' Box Office: Sequel Fizzles With $28 Million Debut

Primary Journalistic Dispatch & Direct Reporting

Whatever spell conjured by the witchy Owens sisters, played onscreen by Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in two "Practical Magic" movies, wasn't powerful enough to lure audiences to theaters.

Reviews will do little to inspire a box office rebound. ("Practical Magic 2" was saddled with a dismal 36% on Rotten Tomatoes). Audiences, however, were much kinder, bestowing the movie a "B+" grade on CinemaScore exit polls. Initial crowds were mostly older women, meaning "Practical Magic 2" appealed to core fans but struggled to entice a younger generation. Susanne Bier directed the sequel, which picks up 25 years later as the daughters of Sally (Bullock) and Gillian (Kidman) uncover their hidden family secrets and seek to break the curse that has long haunted their lineage. Joey King and Maisie Williams joined the cast while Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing reprised their roles from the first film.

Although "Practical Magic 2" will struggle to break even (since theater owners get to keep about 50% of ticket sales), it's not a total disaster for Warner Bros. It does, however, extend a rough streak for the studio following misfires like this summer's "The End of Oak Street" and "Supergirl" as well as the spring's "The Bride!" It puts pressure on the company's Tom Cruise-led comedy "Digger," which opens in October and carries a substantial price tag of nearly $130 million.

In-Depth Developments & Factual Context

Despite a lackluster start, "Practical Magic 2" gets bragging rights for opening at No. 1 and ending the six-weekend reign of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." And the "Practical Magic" sequel launched ahead of several fellow newcomers, including "Runner," an action comedy from Angel Studios and "The Uprising," a period drama starring Andrew Garfield. Overall, this weekend is down significantly (about 43%, according to Rentrak) from the same frame in 2025 when Sony and Crunchyroll's "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" surprised with a massive $70.6 million debut.

"This is shaping up to be a solid, if somewhat subdued, early-fall weekend," says Paul Dergarabedian, Rentrak's head of marketplace trends. "This weekend is less about one movie dominating the conversation and more about several films contributing to the overall marketplace."

"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" slid to No. 2 with $8.6 million in its seventh weekend of release. So far, Sony's comic book sequel has generated a staggering $935 million in North America and $2.4 billion globally. By Monday, it'll be the highest-grossing movie in domestic box office history, supplanting the record held by 2015's "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" with $936 million, not adjusted for inflation.

Industry Impact & Strategic Analysis

In third place, "The Odyssey" raked in $8.1 million from 1,983 theaters and brought domestic ticket sales to $601 million after nine weekends on the big screen. Christopher Nolan's star-studded blockbuster has been on an epic box office run and now ranks as Universal's highest grossing release with $1.68 billion worldwide. The previous benchmark holder was 2015's "Jurassic World" with $1.67 billion globally.

"Coyote vs. Acme" landed in fourth place with $6.3 million from 3,355 venues in its third weekend, a 47% decline from its prior outing. The "Looney Tunes" spinoff has been a hit with $47.8 million domestically to date. Indie distributor Ketchup Entertainment nabbed the well-reviewed "Coyote vs. Acme" after Warner Bros. shelved the completed film as a $30 million tax write-off.

"Runner" rounded out the top five with a lackluster $6 million from 2,568 venues in its first weekend of release. Although reviews were tepid, audiences awarded the movie a solid "A-" grade on CinemaScore exit polls. "Runner" follows a former Navy SEAL on a journey to deliver a life-saving medicine to a sick child while running from the cartel.

Forward Outlook & Market Perspective

At No. 8, "The Uprising" misfired with $3.25 million from 2,068 theaters in its debut. Paul Greengrass ("Bourne" franchise, "United 93") directed the movie, which stars Garfield as a rebellion leader who inspired the legend of Robin Hood. "The Uprising" earned a "B-" grade on CinemaScore, which doesn't bode well for box office longevity. Focus Features, which is distributing the movie, acquired North American rights for $12 million.

In limited release, Neon's South Korean sci-fi action thriller "Hope" debuted at No. 7 with $3.3 million from 1,560 locations over the weekend. The genre-bending film has earned $5 million in the U.S. since Wednesday. "Hope" is already one of South Korea's highest-grossing releases of the year with $36.2 million since mid July. Directed by Na Hong-jin, "Hope" takes place in an isolated coastal town in South Korea as a mysterious creature begins terrorizing residents.

Another newcomer, Disney's music documentary "Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger," failed to crack the top 10, launching in 11th place with $1.5 million from 1,225 screens. The concert film follows Liam and Noel Gallagher of the legendary British band Oasis as they reunite for the first time since 2009. Along with behind-the-scenes footage from their hugely successful world tour, "Don't Look Back in Anger" boasts the first joint interview in two decades with the brothers, who famously don't get along. Reception has been rapturous for the "Oasis" doc, which bowed last week at the Venice Film Festival.

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