Updated

Updated · Deadline · Sep 9

Practical Magic 2 Eyes $58M-$63M Global Opening as Warner Targets $30M-$35M Domestic Start

Updated

Updated · Deadline · Sep 9

Practical Magic 2 Eyes $58M-$63M Global Opening as Warner Targets $30M-$35M Domestic Start

Q: Will devastating reviews shatter the nostalgic box office magic of the Owens sisters after opening weekend?

Probably not immediately, but they could sharply cut short the film’s run after debut weekend. “Practical Magic 2” looks set to open solidly at No. 1, with forecasts generally in the $30 million to $40 million range domestically and roughly $48 million to $65 million worldwide. That suggests nostalgia for the 1998 original, plus the return of Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, is strong enough to overcome weak reviews at launch. The bigger issue is what happens next. Early critical response has been poor overall, with Rotten Tomatoes hovering around the low 30s in early reviews, and several critics singling out the screenplay, pacing and overreliance on nostalgia. Those are the kinds of complaints that often hurt week-to-week holds, especially for a legacy sequel banking on older fans rather than a broad four-quadrant audience. There are still reasons it may avoid a total collapse. The original film was also poorly reviewed in 1998 yet became a durable cult favorite, and several new reviews say Bullock and Kidman’s chemistry remains the sequel’s main selling point. If fans respond more warmly than critics, audience scores and word of mouth could cushion the drop. Still, with a $75 million production budget, the sequel likely needs decent legs, not just a nostalgia-fueled opening. Right now, the evidence points to this: reviews are unlikely to ruin opening weekend, but they may keep “Practical Magic 2” from turning a strong debut into a long-lasting box-office spell.

3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Sep 9

$58 million-$63 million is the latest global opening range for Practical Magic 2, with Warner Bros projecting $30 million-$35 million in North America and about $18 million-$23 million from 77 overseas markets.
4,000 theaters, PLF screens and Thursday previews from 2 p.m. back that launch, while tracking shows especially strong first-choice interest among women over 25 and younger women.
34% Rotten Tomatoes reviews could pressure legs, though Warner sees upside from the 1998 original's long afterlife on HBO Max; the sequel cost a net $75 million before marketing.
Warner is leaning on a post-Labor Day corridor it has dominated for years, after a record $4.76 billion U.S. summer and with September opening records led by It: Chapter One at $123.4 million.