Practical Magic 2 opens with $4.7 million in previews, tracking $48-65 million global debut

Preview haul and opening weekend projection

Warner Bros.' fantasy sequel "Practical Magic 2" generated $4.7 million in Thursday previews and is projected to gross $30 million to $40 million domestically over the Sept. 11 weekend, with an additional $18 million to $25 million expected internationally, putting the global opening between $48 million and $65 million. The studio produced the film for $75 million, and industry forecaster Daniel Loria of Boxoffice Pro projected a $40 million domestic debut, higher than the $28 million opening posted by last year's female-targeted legacy sequel "Freaky Friday."

End of Spider-Man's six-week reign

The preview performance positions "Practical Magic 2" to end "Spider-Man: Brand New Day"'s six-week hold on the No. 1 spot, a streak that began at the end of July. "Spider-Man" had entered the weekend as the chart leader, and Variety reported that the witchy sequel was on track to displace it based on Thursday returns. The sequel stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, reprising their roles as the Owens sisters 25 years after the 1998 original.

Casting and creative team

Directed by Susanne Bier, "Practical Magic 2" follows Sally and Gillian Owens as they attempt to break a family curse that kills the men they love, joined by Sally's daughters Kylie and Antonio, played by Joey King and Maisie Williams. The supporting cast includes Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Lee Pace, Xolo Maridueña and Solly McLeod.

Disney concert film rounds out the weekend slate

Also opening this weekend is Disney's music documentary "Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger," which is targeting a $5 million to $7 million debut. The concert film follows Oasis band members and brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher as they reunite for the first time since 2009 and embark on their world tour.

Stakes for Warner Bros.' 2026 slate

The release carries weight for Warner Bros., which has not had a film cross $100 million domestically in 2026, the first time that has happened since 2001. Studio leaders Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy are coming off a 2025 slate that included "One Battle After Another," "A Minecraft Movie" and "Sinners," the latter two of which were major Oscar winners. This year's titles have underperformed: "Wuthering Heights" crossed $270 million worldwide on global appeal, while "Mortal Kombat II," "They Will Kill You," "Lee Cronin's The Mummy" and "The Bride!" fell short of expectations. The Paramount merger also looms over the studio's performance. Upcoming releases include Tom Cruise's "Digger," "The Cat in the Hat" and Denis Villeneuve's third "Dune" film.

Verifying the four-day domestic debut

Weekend actuals, including a final three-day domestic gross and the international total, will be reported on Monday and will determine whether "Practical Magic 2" lands within its $30-40 million domestic tracking range.