'Practical Magic 2' Lost Its Box-Office Spell in Week Two

The spell has worn off — at least for now. Practical Magic 2, the long-awaited sequel starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, fell 59 percent in its second weekend to $12.2 million, surrendering the No. 1 spot at the box office to Zach Cregger's Resident Evil reboot.

The drop stings after a genuinely strong start. The film opened to $30 million, a solid debut for a sequel arriving nearly three decades after the original became a cult favorite. But second weekends are where sequels prove themselves, and a 59 percent fall is on the steep side. The film now stands at $50 million domestic and $76.8 million worldwide on a reported $75 million budget — respectable numbers that nevertheless leave it with work to do.

A Classic Second-Weekend Slump

Context matters here. A 59 percent drop is painful, but it's not catastrophic — and it's partly a story about competition. Opening directly against the biggest horror opening in franchise history was always going to be brutal for a witchy romantic fantasy, no matter how beloved its stars. Practical Magic 2 didn't just lose the weekend; it lost it to a juggernaut that was always going to dominate the conversation.

There's also the sequel factor. Legacy sequels tend to be front-loaded: the fans who waited decades show up on opening weekend, and then the film has to win over everyone else. The $30 million opening proved the core audience is real and passionate. The question was always whether the movie could expand beyond them.

Can Word of Mouth Save It?

At $76.8 million worldwide against a $75 million budget, the film isn't in disaster territory — but it needs legs to get to profitability. The good news is that this is exactly the kind of film that can find a second life: a cozy, star-driven fantasy with a devoted fanbase is tailor-made for strong home-video and streaming performance. The original Practical Magic wasn't a box-office phenomenon either; it became a classic on cable and DVD.

Bullock and Kidman remain two of the most bankable stars of their generation, and the film's opening proved the audience showed up. Week two was a stumble, not a fall. The real test is whether the Owens sisters can work their magic over the long haul.

It's also worth noting how rare this kind of sequel is. Legacy follow-ups usually lean on irony or reinvention; Practical Magic 2 simply brought back Bullock and Kidman and trusted the warmth of the original. The $30 million opening suggests that sincerity has an audience. Whether the film legs out from here or finds its real afterlife on streaming, the Owens sisters have already proven that some spells just take a little longer to work.