‘Practical Magic 2’ Casts a Disappointing Spell With Soft $46 Million Global Opening

Legacy sequels are a tricky business. Studios bet on nostalgia and star power to draw audiences back into theaters, but that formula doesn’t always translate the way executives hope, especially when the original film wasn’t exactly a box office darling to begin with.

That’s the situation Warner Bros. now finds itself in with ‘Practical Magic 2,‘ the long-awaited follow-up reuniting Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witch sisters Sally and Gillian Owens. Despite carrying two of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars and a devoted cult fanbase built over nearly three decades, the film’s theatrical debut hasn’t matched the hype surrounding its release.

The sequel opened at number one domestically with $30 million from 4,146 North American theaters, finally ending ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s’ six-week reign atop the box office charts. Internationally, though, the film managed just $16 million from 77 markets, bringing its total worldwide opening to a modest $46 million against a reported $75 million production budget.

That global figure lands on the lower end of what Warner Bros. had projected heading into release weekend, and it leaves the film with real work to do before it can turn a theatrical profit once marketing costs are factored in. Director Susanne Bier’s sequel also faced a rough reception from critics, landing in the mid-30s percentage range on Rotten Tomatoes, a score that closely mirrors the harsh reviews the original 1998 film received before eventually becoming a beloved cult classic.

Unlike the critical response, audience reception has been considerably warmer. The film earned a solid B+ CinemaScore, along with a strong 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and 4.5 out of 5 on PostTrak, suggesting the millennial and Gen X fans who turned the original into a sleeper favorite are showing up and largely enjoying what they’re seeing.

There’s a notable bit of symmetry in the numbers, too. The original ‘Practical Magic’ opened to $13.1 million back in 1998, a figure that translates to roughly $27 million when adjusted for inflation, and the film ultimately topped out at just $46 million domestically across its entire theatrical run. That means the sequel essentially matched the original’s full domestic total in a single opening weekend alone, even if that comparison doesn’t erase the disappointment of missing higher global projections.

It's the season of the witch. #PracticalMagic2 casts its spell in theaters this September. pic.twitter.com/Jvjk0se6Fh

— Practical Magic (@PracticalMagic) June 24, 2026

Whether ‘Practical Magic 2’ can rebound in the weeks ahead may come down to how effectively Warner Bros. can tap into that same wider female audience that transformed the first film’s home video afterlife into something far more valuable than its initial theatrical run ever was. With the busy fall box office competing for attention from films like ‘Resident Evil’ and ‘Forgotten Island,’ the sequel will need strong word of mouth to hold steady rather than fade quickly.

For context, the sequel’s opening lands in a similar range to other recent legacy sequels built around beloved 1990s female-led properties, such as ‘Freakier Friday,’ suggesting this kind of modest theatrical start may simply be the new normal for nostalgia-driven revivals rather than a sign of outright failure. Given how much cultural staying power the original film built over time despite its own underwhelming debut, it wouldn’t be surprising if ‘Practical Magic 2’ follows a similar long-term trajectory.

For now, all eyes turn to next weekend’s numbers to see whether the Owens sisters can hold their spot atop the box office or if audience interest fades as quickly as it arrived.

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