The Owens sisters are back, and audiences turned out in force. "Practical Magic 2," Susanne Bier's long-gestating sequel to the 1998 cult favorite, captured the top spot at the domestic box office in its debut weekend, according to studio estimates, giving Warner Bros. a much-needed autumn win and reviving a property that spent years stuck in development limbo.
Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman return as Sally and Gillian Owens, the spell-casting siblings whose romantic misfortunes have long been the franchise's comic engine. The sequel finds the sisters confronting the dark curse that threatens to unravel their family once and for all - a premise that expands the original film's more intimate story into something closer to a full-blown supernatural saga. Bier, the Danish filmmaker behind "Open Hearts" and "Bird Box," directs from a screenplay that leans into the romance, fantasy and comedy blend that defined the first movie.
A New Generation of Owens Women
The sequel's ensemble is notably deeper than its predecessor's. Joey King and Maisie Williams join as Kylie and Antonia Owens, the next generation of the family, while Xolo Maridueña appears as Gideon and Lee Pace steps in as Ian Wright. Dianne Wiest and Stockard Channing reprise their roles as Aunt Jet and Aunt Frances, anchoring the film's multigenerational story. Running 130 minutes, the film opened on September 9, 2026.
While exact grosses were not disclosed in the verified figures, the debut performance represents a striking turnaround for a project that once seemed destined to remain unmade. The original "Practical Magic," directed by Griffin Dunne, opened to modest returns and mixed reviews in 1998 before finding a devoted following on home video - a slow-burn trajectory that convinced the studio the appetite for more Owens family lore was real.
Mixed Reception From Audiences
Critical and audience response has been measured. The film currently holds a 6.3 out of 10 rating on TMDb, a middling score that suggests the sequel has yet to replicate the fervent affection the original commands among its fanbase. That divide between commercial success and lukewarm reception is a familiar pattern for sequels arriving more than two decades after their predecessors, when nostalgia drives opening-weekend turnout but word of mouth determines staying power.
Bier's involvement was itself a signal that the studio wanted a filmmaker with a track record in both prestige drama and mainstream genre work. Her hiring drew skepticism from some corners of the fan community, who questioned whether her sensibilities would suit the material's lighter, witchier charms. Early returns suggest a film that has satisfied the faithful without converting many newcomers.
The Bigger Box Office Story
The Owens family's victory comes with an asterisk. "Spider-Man" continues to loom over the marketplace, holding steady in the upper reaches of the charts and positioning itself for a run at the all-time domestic record. The web-slinger's staying power has reshaped the fall release calendar, as rival studios have shuffled dates to avoid direct competition with the Marvel juggernaut.
For Warner Bros., "Practical Magic 2" offers a template for how to monetize dormant intellectual property: reunite the original stars, add a rising young cast, and hire a director with crossover appeal. Whether the strategy yields a third installment will depend on how the film holds in the weeks ahead, particularly against a superhero movie that shows no signs of slowing down.
The sequel's opening also arrives as the industry continues to grapple with shifting audience habits, with mid-budget adult-skewing films increasingly reliant on female audiences and streaming-adjacent nostalgia to justify theatrical releases. Bullock and Kidman, both Oscar winners with decades of commercial credibility, remain among the few stars capable of opening a movie of this scale on name recognition alone.
What Comes Next
Whether "Practical Magic 2" can sustain its momentum through October will determine its final standing - and, potentially, the fate of the franchise. The film's premise deliberately leaves the door open for further chapters, with the curse resolved but the Owens bloodline expanded by a new generation of characters.
For now, the sisters have their weekend. The question that has followed every successful sequel this year remains unanswered: can anything unseat the wall-crawler before the year is out? Hollywood will be watching closely, and so will the aunts.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
