‘Practical Magic 2’ Heads for $30M Opening as ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Nears All-Time Box Office Record
Practical Magic 2 is on course to take the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office this weekend, ending Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s six-week run at the top.
The Warner Bros. sequel, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, made about $13 million on Friday, according to Variety. Deadline’s estimate put Friday at $12.5 million, with both outlets projecting a weekend opening of roughly $30 million.
Box Office at a Glance
| Movie | Friday | Weekend Projection | Theaters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Magic 2 | $12.5M–$13M | ~$30M | 4,146 |
| Runner | ~$2.1M–$2.5M | $5.4M–$6M | 2,568 |
| The Odyssey | ~$2.06M–$2.1M | ~$8.1M | 1,983 |
| Spider-Man: Brand New Day | ~$2M | ~$8.3M–$8.5M | 3,303 |
| Coyote vs. Acme | ~$1.3M–$1.4M | ~$5.8M–$6.3M | — |
| The Uprising | ~$1.3M–$1.38M | ~$3M–$3.1M | 2,068 |
‘Practical Magic 2’ Takes Aim at No. 1
Practical Magic 2 played on 4,146 North American screens Friday after earning $4.7 million from Thursday previews at 3,200 locations.
Deadline’s projection has the film reaching about $30 million for the three-day weekend. Variety also puts the weekend at around $30 million.
That would be enough to knock Spider-Man: Brand New Day from the top of the domestic chart after six consecutive weekends at No. 1.
The sequel is directed by Susanne Bier and reunites Bullock and Kidman as sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, the witches at the center of the original 1998 film.
The Sequel Has a Very Different Box Office Story From the Original
The original Practical Magic opened at about $13.1 million in October 1998 from 2,652 locations.
It ultimately earned approximately $46.7 million domestically and $94.4 million worldwide against a reported $75 million budget.
Despite its modest theatrical performance, the original developed a strong cult following after its home-video release.
The sequel arrives 25 years later, with the Owens family facing another generation of the curse that has shaped their lives.
Bullock and Kidman return alongside Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing. The newer cast includes Maisie Williams, Joey King, Xolo Maridueña and Lee Pace.
Thursday Previews Gave the Sequel a Strong Start
The $4.7 million Thursday preview figure was already ahead of several recent films associated with Bullock.
The Lost City generated $2.5 million in previews before opening to $31 million over three days in 2022. Ticket to Paradise, starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts, had $1.1 million in previews before a $16.5 million opening.
Practical Magic 2 also topped the $3 million Thursday preview figure for Wuthering Heights, which went on to open to $32.8 million.
The sequel has a reported $70 million net production cost, according to Deadline.
Audience Interest Could Decide How Big the Opening Gets
The film entered the weekend with mixed critical reviews but considerably stronger audience reaction.
Deadline reported a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, while the critics’ score was much lower at 36% at the time of its report.
The original movie also received a weak critical reception, with a 29% Rotten Tomatoes score, but its popularity grew substantially after its theatrical run.
The weekend also coincides with the opening of the NFL season, which could affect holdover movies more than the new female-led sequel.
Spider-Man Is About to Make Box Office History
While Practical Magic 2 is taking the No. 1 position, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is heading toward a much bigger milestone.
The Sony-Marvel movie entered the weekend with a domestic total of roughly $926.7 million.
That leaves it only about $9.9 million behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which holds the all-time domestic box office record at approximately $936.6 million.
Deadline projected Spider-Man: Brand New Day to add around $8.3 million during its seventh weekend, taking its domestic total to roughly $935 million.
Variety’s estimate was slightly higher, at $8.5 million, which would put the film at about $935.27 million.
That means the movie could fall short of the record during the weekend itself and cross the line shortly afterward.
The exact timing depends on how the weekend plays out, but Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now within striking distance of becoming the highest-grossing movie ever at the domestic box office.
‘The Odyssey’ Remains a Major Holdover
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is expected to remain in third place.
The film earned roughly $2.06 million on Friday, with Deadline projecting an $8.1 million ninth-weekend haul.
Variety expects the film to reach about $601 million domestically after nine weekends.
That gives Universal’s epic another significant weekend even as the battle for the top position shifts from Spider-Man to Practical Magic 2.
‘Runner’ Looks at $5M-Plus Opening
Angel Studios’ Runner is projected to finish around fourth or fifth place, depending on the final weekend estimates.
The action movie starring Alan Ritchson and Owen Wilson earned an estimated $2.1 million to $2.5 million Friday from 2,568 locations.
Deadline projected a $5.4 million opening, while Variety put the weekend estimate closer to $6 million.
The movie follows a soldier and a less battle-ready partner who become involved in a run from a cartel. Rodrigo Santoro, Leila George and Kate Box also star.
‘Coyote vs. Acme’ Continues to Hold On
Coyote vs. Acme remained in the top five despite entering its third weekend.
The Ketchup Entertainment release made approximately $1.3 million to $1.4 million Friday.
Deadline projected a $5.8 million third weekend and a domestic running total of about $47.3 million. Variety’s estimate was slightly higher, at $6.3 million for the weekend and $47.8 million domestically through three weekends.
The film had already passed $73 million worldwide, according to Deadline.
‘The Uprising’ Struggles Against the Bigger Releases
Focus Features’ The Uprising opened well below the weekend’s major titles.
The historical drama earned around $1.3 million to $1.38 million Friday from 2,068 theaters.
Deadline projected a $3 million opening, while Variety estimated approximately $3.1 million.
Written and directed by Paul Greengrass, the movie stars Andrew Garfield as a 14th-century ploughman who leads an uprising against King Richard II.
The cast also includes Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane, Woody Norman and Katherine Waterston.
‘Hope’ Opens in Limited Release
NEON’s science-fiction film Hope was another new release competing for audiences.
The movie earned about $1 million Friday, according to Deadline, after opening Thursday at around $1.1 million including $305,000 in previews.
It was projected to make about $3.6 million over three days and $5.3 million over five days from 1,560 locations.
Written and directed by Na Hong-jin, Hope stars Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander and had already performed strongly in South Korea, where it earned more than $36 million.
What Happens Next at the Box Office
The biggest immediate question is no longer whether Practical Magic 2 can take No. 1.
At roughly $30 million, the sequel is positioned to end Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s six-week reign.
The bigger historical milestone belongs to Spider-Man. The film needs only a few million dollars more to pass The Force Awakens and claim the domestic box office record.
So this weekend has two separate box-office stories: a new No. 1 movie and a record that could fall within days.
