Practical Magic 2: Box Office Opening, Reviews and Cast Updates

According to Deadline, Warner Bros. and Alcon’s fantasy sequel “Practical Magic 2″ generated an estimated $3.5M to $4M in domestic previews after showtimes began at 2 PM on Thursday.

Box Office Projections and Theater Counts

According to Variety, nostalgia should propel the follow-up film to $30 million to $40 million from 4,000 North American theaters in its opening weekend. That debut projection is enough to claim the No. 1 spot at the box office and topple the six-weekend reign of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” according to Variety.

According to Deadline, the preview figures for “Practical Magic 2″ surpassed the preview grosses of Sandra Bullock’s romantic adventure picture “Lost City,” which brought in $2.5M ahead of a $31M three-day opening. The preview total also bests figures for the George Clooney and Julia Roberts romantic comedy, according to Deadline.

Internationally, “Practical Magic 2” is aiming for another $18 million to $25 million from 77 territories, according to Variety. This projection would put initial global sales anywhere between $48 million and $65 million against a production budget of $75 million, according to Variety.

Cast, Crew, and Franchise Background

The sequel picks up 25 years after the events of the original film, according to Variety reporting on Susanne Bier’s direction. In the original movie, based on the novel by Alice Hoffman, sisters Sally and Gillian Owens fought off a family curse that killed the men they fell in love with, according to Variety.

Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock return as the witchy sisters, according to Variety. Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing also reprise their roles from the prior film, while Joey King and Maisie Williams join the cast, according to Variety.

While the first “Practical Magic” was a box office flop upon its initial release, it eventually developed into a cult favorite, according to Variety.

Critical Reception and Competition

Reviews for “Practical Magic 2” have not been kind, according to Variety. Variety critic Todd Gilchrist described the movie as cumbersome and overlong as the 28-year wait between the two chapters, a reception that may influence box office longevity past opening weekend, according to Variety.

Alongside “Practical Magic 2,” Disney’s music documentary “Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger” entered theaters with an expected $5 million to $7 million start from 1,200 domestic theaters, according to Variety. That concert film follows Liam and Noel Gallagher as they reunite after bowing at the Venice Film Festival, according to Variety.