Warner Bros. Faces Setback as ‘Practical Magic 2’ Underperforms After Hype

Warner Bros. entered the fall movie season hoping for a genuine hit, and on paper, ‘Practical Magic 2’ appeared to be the nostalgia-driven crowd-pleaser that could deliver. Reuniting Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman nearly three decades after the original cult classic, the sequel came with built-in goodwill from both millennial and Gen Z audiences ahead of its release.

Initial tracking data reinforced this optimism, with the studio projecting a domestic opening weekend between $30 million and $40 million, supported by strong Thursday preview numbers. Such a range would have marked one of Warner Bros.’ better openings during an otherwise challenging year at the box office.

However, that optimism quickly faded after the opening weekend. ‘Practical Magic 2’ underperformed on Friday, bringing in only around $7.5 million plus previews, a significant drop from the $30 million to $40 million weekend some outlets had anticipated just days prior.

Industry tracker F*XOXO provided a similar assessment, estimating the film at roughly $7.75 million for Friday alone, with weak walk-up business undermining what had been healthy advance ticket sales. The disparity between pre-release tracking and actual opening-day performance indicates that the film’s built-in nostalgia did not translate into the broad turnout Warner Bros. had hoped for.

The disappointing opening is particularly striking in light of Warner Bros.’ overall theatrical performance this year. Warner Bros. Discovery reported a 46 percent year-over-year decline in theatrical revenue during the second quarter of 2026, a stark contrast to 2025, when the studio crossed $4 billion at the worldwide box office and won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture.

Box office analyst Gitesh Pandya noted that Warner Bros. reached September without a single 2026 release surpassing $100 million domestically, making it the only major studio without a nine-figure domestic grosser this year. This drought includes a series of ambitious original projects, from Emerald Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ to Anne Hathaway’s ‘The End of Oak Street,’ none of which managed to make a significant impact.

The critical reception for ‘Practical Magic 2’ has not helped either, with the sequel currently holding a 34 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, only slightly better than the 30 percent score of the original film from 1998. Critics have noted similar issues that affected the first film, including jarring tonal shifts between whimsical romantic comedy and full supernatural horror.

With ‘Practical Magic 2’ failing to deliver the breakout hit Warner Bros. desperately needed, attention is now turning to ‘Dune: Part Three’ as potentially the studio’s only release capable of crossing $100 million domestically this year. This places significant pressure on a single late-year release, especially considering how consistently disappointing 2026 has been for the studio across various genres and budget levels.

The irony is not lost on industry observers, given that ‘Practical Magic 2’ was specifically marketed as a low-risk, high-reward nostalgia project aimed at correcting the studio’s tumultuous year. Produced for a relatively modest $75 million and backed by genuine affection for the original film, the sequel was intended to be the kind of economical bet that could stabilize the studio’s fortunes.

Whether the film can regain traction through positive word of mouth in the coming weeks remains uncertain, but its opening-weekend stumble adds yet another chapter to what has already been a historically tough year for Warner Bros. at the box office. With ‘Dune: Part Three’ now bearing heightened expectations, the studio’s fall slate suddenly appears much less secure than it did just days ago.

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