Warner Bros. has quietly pulled Practical Magic 2 from nearly all of its theatrical locations, just weeks after its release. The sequel, which opened in over 4,100 theaters in September, is now playing in only about 350 venues nationwide—a dramatic drop that underscores its disappointing box office run.
The film, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, was positioned as a nostalgic follow-up to the 1998 cult favorite. Unlike other legacy sequels that have thrived in recent years, Practical Magic 2 struggled to capture the same magic. It grossed just over $100 million worldwide against a reported $75 million production budget, falling far short of the $150 million typically needed to break even theatrically when marketing and distribution costs are factored in.
This performance places Practical Magic 2 on Warner Bros.' growing list of box office underperformers this year, alongside titles like Supergirl, The Bride!, The End of Oak Street, and Mortal Kombat II. The studio had hoped the sequel would replicate the success of recent hits like Freakier Friday and The Devil Wears Prada 2, but instead it mirrored the original film's modest earnings—the 1998 Practical Magic grossed around $95 million worldwide on a similar budget.
Critics have been lukewarm on the sequel, with a 36% Rotten Tomatoes score and a consensus that calls it "nostalgic and inert," though it does praise the chemistry between Bullock and Kidman. Audiences, however, have been far more receptive, giving it a 91% "Verified Hot" score on the same platform. That positive word-of-mouth could help the film find a second life now that it's available on premium video-on-demand (PVOD).
The rapid theatrical exit is a stark contrast to other fantasy releases that have held their screens longer. For instance, DreamWorks' Forgotten Island lost 1,400 theaters after its own struggles, and Zach Cregger's Resident Evil saw a 900-theater drop as momentum slowed. Practical Magic 2's decline is even steeper, reflecting the challenges of reviving beloved IP without a fresh hook.
For fans of the original, the sequel's quick pivot to PVOD offers a chance to enjoy it from home, and the strong audience score suggests it may find a more appreciative audience there. Whether this becomes a cautionary tale for future legacy sequels remains to be seen, but for now, Practical Magic 2 has officially left the big screen.
Stay tuned for more updates on this and other box office stories.
