Practical Magic 2 opened to an estimated $30 million domestically, hitting the low end of Warner Bros.’ projected range and taking No. 1. That ended the six-week reign of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The sequel played in more than 4,000 North American locations and added $16 million from 77 overseas markets.
A soft fall frame
The total domestic weekend reached about $86 million, according to Rentrak. That is 43 percent below the comparable 2025 weekend, when Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Infinity Castle opened to $70.6 million, and down 9 percent from the previous frame. The drop is not a panic signal: 2026 is still running 19 percent ahead of last year at $7.5 billion in year-to-date domestic gross.
For media planners, the key read is that the market is normalizing after a hot summer, not collapsing. A $75 million production budget means Practical Magic 2 needs a decent international tail and strong home entertainment to become a clean win, especially with a 39 percent Rotten Tomatoes critics score.
The original Practical Magic topped out at $46 million domestically in its initial 1998 run. The sequel has already captured roughly two-thirds of that total in one weekend, a sign of how streaming and catalog viewing have raised the floor for legacy IP. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman returning as the Owens sisters is the draw; Joey King, Maisie Williams and Lee Pace round out the cast.
The top five
- Practical Magic 2 — $30 million (new)
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day — $8.4 million; domestic cume $935.2 million
- The Odyssey — $7.4 million; domestic cume $600.5 million
- Runner — $6.4 million (new)
- Coyote vs. Acme — $6.2 million; cume about $47.8 million
Why the Spider-Man record matters
Spider-Man: Brand New Day slipped to second after six straight frames at No. 1. The Tom Holland title is now at $935.2 million domestically and just below Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens ($936.6 million) on the all-time domestic chart. It will likely pass that mark within days, a useful reference point for modeling the ceiling of a long-run theatrical event.
Audience response is split for the new top film. Practical Magic 2 earned a B+ CinemaScore and a 92 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while critics are at 39 percent. The Hollywood Reporter’s Angie Han wrote that the sequel “works better the less you look for any sense of logic,” a line that captures the fan-service positioning.
That critic-audience gap is the kind of leading indicator marketers should monitor. A B+ CinemaScore is fine but not exceptional for a wide release. The second-weekend hold will show whether the 92 percent audience score converts into word-of-mouth or whether the sequel burns through fan demand quickly. For comparison, Runner opened with an A- CinemaScore, so its hold is worth watching as a mid-budget counterprogramming test.
Elsewhere: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey reached $600.5 million domestic and became Universal’s highest-grossing global release ever, passing Jurassic World. Angel Studios’ Runner opened to $6.4 million with an A- CinemaScore. Focus Features’ The Uprising started soft at $3.25 million, and Neon’s South Korean monster film Hope took about $3.3 million.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
