Nostalgia proved enough to put Practical Magic 2 at the top of the North American box office, but not enough to deliver the kind of opening Warner Bros. had hoped for.
The fantasy sequel, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as the Owens sisters, opened with an estimated $30 million from 4,146 cinemas in North America. While the figure was sufficient to claim first place, it landed toward the lower end of industry expectations.
Internationally, the film generated another $16 million from 77 markets, taking its worldwide opening-weekend total to approximately $46 million.
The result is particularly concerning given the film's reported $75 million production budget, before the additional cost of its worldwide marketing campaign. With cinemas typically retaining about half of ticket revenue, Warner Bros. will need the sequel to maintain strong business in the weeks ahead if it is to justify the sizeable investment.
A sequel carrying the weight of nostalgia
The disappointing opening also highlights an unusual comparison with the original Practical Magic, which was released in 1998.
The first film, which introduced audiences to Sally and Gillian Owens and their family's generations-old curse, opened to about $13 million domestically. Adjusted for inflation, that figure is roughly equivalent to $27 million today.
The original movie was not a major theatrical success, but eventually developed a devoted following and became a cult favorite.
Warner Bros. is now hoping the same long-term affection for the property, combined with the star power of Bullock and Kidman, can give the sequel a longer theatrical life.
Directed by Susanne Bier, Practical Magic 2 jumps forward 25 years. The story follows the daughters of Sally and Gillian as they uncover secrets within their family and attempt to break the curse that has haunted generations of Owens women.
Joey King and Maisie Williams join the cast, while Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing return from the original film.
Critics remain unconvinced
The sequel's prospects were not helped by its critical reception.
Practical Magic 2 entered its theatrical run with a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting that critics were largely unimpressed.
Moviegoers were considerably more forgiving, giving the film a “B+” grade in CinemaScore exit polling.
That audience response could offer some encouragement to Warner Bros., particularly because the opening crowd was dominated by older women — the demographic most closely associated with the original movie's enduring fan base.
However, the relatively limited presence of younger moviegoers could become a challenge if the studio hopes to transform Practical Magic 2 into a broad multigenerational hit.
Box office crown ends Spider-Man's reign
Despite its underwhelming debut, Practical Magic 2 did manage to accomplish one significant feat: it ended the six-weekend run at No. 1 enjoyed by Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The Sony superhero sequel slipped to second place with $8.6 million in its seventh weekend.
Its overall performance, however, remains extraordinary. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has earned approximately $935 million in North America and $2.4 billion worldwide.
The film is poised to overtake Star Wars: The Force Awakens as the highest-grossing movie in domestic box office history, without adjusting for inflation. The 2015 Star Wars film currently holds the record at approximately $936 million.
In third place, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey added $8.1 million from 1,983 locations. After nine weekends, the epic has accumulated $601 million domestically and $1.68 billion worldwide.
That global haul has made The Odyssey the highest-grossing film in Universal's history, narrowly surpassing Jurassic World, which earned $1.67 billion worldwide in 2015.
‘Coyote vs. Acme’ continues strong run
Fourth place went to Coyote vs. Acme, which collected $6.3 million from 3,355 cinemas in its third weekend.
The Warner Bros. animated comedy dropped 47% from its previous weekend but has nevertheless become a notable success story after a turbulent journey to theaters.
The film has earned $47.8 million domestically to date.
Warner Bros. had originally shelved the completed movie as part of a $30 million tax write-off. Independent distributor Ketchup Entertainment later acquired the film and released it theatrically, where it found an audience and strong reviews.
Runner, an action thriller from Angel Studios, rounded out the top five with $6 million from 2,568 locations.
The film follows a former Navy SEAL attempting to deliver life-saving medicine to a sick child while being pursued by a cartel.
Although critics were lukewarm, audiences gave Runner an “A-” CinemaScore, suggesting it could have stronger staying power than its modest opening indicates.
‘The Uprising’ struggles
Another major newcomer, The Uprising, struggled to make an impact.
The period drama opened at No. 8 with $3.25 million from 2,068 theaters.
Directed by Paul Greengrass, known for the Bourne franchise and United 93, the film stars Andrew Garfield as a rebellion leader who becomes associated with the legend of Robin Hood.
Audiences gave the film a “B-” CinemaScore, a result that could make it difficult to sustain momentum in the coming weeks.
Focus Features acquired the film's North American rights for $12 million.
Meanwhile, Neon’s South Korean science-fiction action thriller Hope performed strongly in limited release, opening at No. 7 with $3.3 million from 1,560 locations.
The film had already accumulated $5 million domestically since its Wednesday opening and has become one of South Korea's highest-grossing releases of the year, earning $36.2 million there since July.
Directed by Na Hong-jin, Hope is set in an isolated coastal town where residents are terrorized by a mysterious creature.
Oasis documentary misses the top 10
Disney's Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger was another high-profile newcomer, but its theatrical debut was comparatively modest.
The music documentary opened in 11th place with $1.5 million from 1,225 screens.
The film chronicles Liam and Noel Gallagher and their reunion during Oasis' highly successful world tour. It also features behind-the-scenes footage and what is billed as the brothers' first joint interview in two decades.
The documentary has received an enthusiastic response from audiences and debuted at the Venice Film Festival last week.
Its box-office performance, however, illustrates the uneven theatrical marketplace facing studios and distributors, where strong reviews and established fan bases do not always translate into blockbuster opening weekends.
A subdued autumn box office
The overall North American box office was significantly weaker than the same weekend last year.
According to Rentrak, the weekend was down approximately 43% compared with the corresponding frame in 2025, when Sony and Crunchyroll's Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle stunned the industry with a $70.6 million opening.
Paul Dergarabedian, Rentrak's head of marketplace trends, described the current weekend as less dependent on one dominant blockbuster.
“This is shaping up to be a solid, if somewhat subdued, early-fall weekend,” Dergarabedian said. “This weekend is less about one movie dominating the conversation and more about several films contributing to the overall marketplace.”
For Warner Bros., however, the performance of Practical Magic 2 carries greater significance.
The studio has endured a string of recent disappointments, including The End of Oak Street, Supergirl and The Bride!.
The results place additional pressure on its upcoming Tom Cruise-led comedy Digger, which is scheduled for release in October and reportedly carries a production budget approaching $130 million.
For now, Practical Magic 2 can claim the weekend's top spot. But with a costly production, mixed reviews and an audience that appears heavily concentrated among longtime fans, Warner Bros. will be hoping the Owens sisters can conjure a stronger second act at the box office.