Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman’s ‘Practical Magic 2’ Keeps Its Spell Alive at the Box Office
Legacy sequels live or die on their second weekend. The nostalgia crowd rushes in first, and then general audiences decide whether the story is worth revisiting. ‘Practical Magic 2’ has now faced that test, and the early numbers offer a clearer picture of how Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman’s witchy reunion is faring.
The film, directed by Susanne Bier, brings back Bullock and Kidman as the Owens sisters, Sally and Gillian, who try to end the curse that has kept their family members from finding love. It is based on Alice Hoffman’s novel ‘The Book of Magic’ and also features Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams, Xolo Maridueña, Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing. The original 1998 film earned just $46 million domestically in its first run before growing into a cult favorite.
That history shaped expectations for the sequel’s launch. It opened to about $30 million from 4,146 theaters, landing at the low end of Warner Bros.’ projected range of $30 million to $35 million. It still ended Spider-Man’s six-week streak at No. 1, earned a B+ CinemaScore, and carries a reported $75 million budget.
The second frame brought a tougher challenge. Variety reported on X that ‘Practical Magic 2’ took second place at the box office on Friday, bringing in an additional $3.1 million in its second week. Over the weekend, the sequel is expected to earn another $10.4 million, lifting its cumulative total to $48.2 million.
The projection amounts to a drop of about 65% from the opening weekend, which is a significant fall for a film with a nostalgic hook. It also faced heavy competition from Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’, which dominated the conversation. In that context, a second-place finish is respectable, and crossing $48 million keeps the film on a steady path.
For a rough comparison, Deadline noted that the opening was in line with other Bullock titles. ‘The Lost City’ opened to $30.4 million, ‘The Proposal’ to $33.6 million and ‘The Blind Side’ to $34.1 million. The sequel’s international launch added about $16 million from 77 markets, for a worldwide opening near $46 million.
The first trailer for ‘PRACTICAL MAGIC 2’ has been released.
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 20, 2026
In theaters on September 11. pic.twitter.com/PSzTJGn3AU
The film’s biggest overseas market was the UK, with $3.9 million, in line with ‘The Lost City’ there. Australia came next with $2.2 million, and Deadline said the sequel was strongest in English-speaking territories. Those figures suggest the appeal of the property is tied closely to its original audience.
Fans have had plenty to say about the film’s performance. In replies to Variety’s post, one user questioned why Warner Bros. chose September rather than October for a witchy sequel, and another joked about which studios Variety is paid to promote. Those reactions show how much strategy and seasonal timing matter for a movie like this.
The social media picture was strong going in. Deadline reported that the film’s pre-opening reach across platforms stood at 573.6 million, higher than ‘Freakier Friday’ at 460.2 million and ‘Cruella’ at 424.7 million. Premium large formats accounted for 35% of the opening weekend, which helped the debut.
Whether the pace holds will depend on word of mouth and the season. October is a natural home for witches, so the movie may have room to pick up more business as Halloween approaches. Its B+ CinemaScore suggests audiences who show up are generally pleased.
For now, the sequel is settling into a modest but steady run rather than a runaway hit. That may be exactly what a cult 1990s property needs. The next few weekends will show whether the Owens sisters can cast a longer spell.
Do you think Practical Magic 2 would have performed better with an October release?
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