Warner Bros. release of Practical Magic 2

Warner Bros. released the legacy sequel ‘Practical Magic 2’ as the studio faces its most significant box office slump in 25 years. In 2026, the company has struggled to produce any film exceeding a $100 million domestic gross, a trend dating back to 2001. The $75 million production was projected to have a four-day domestic opening between $30 million and $35 million.

The film features returning stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, produced by the leads alongside Denise Di Novi. Set 28 years after the original 1998 movie, the plot follows the Owens family as they deal with a resurfacing curse and a new generation of granddaughters, Antonia and Kylie, who travel to England to seek help from a professor of magic. While the original film gained lasting popularity through streaming despite a modest initial theatrical run, this sequel marks a change in direction with Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier taking over from original director Griffin Dunne.

Critical reception has been mixed. While serving as a reunion for the original cast, reviews have noted that the plot follows “predictable and generic lines.” Some critics have characterized the project as a nostalgic reunion that lacks originality and fails to take creative risks, suggesting the sequel feels “artificial.”