'Practical Magic 2' Makes $3.5M+ In Previews On Thursday

Key Points:

• Warner Bros and Alcon’s Practical Magic 2, starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman, earned an estimated $3.5 million to $4 million in Thursday previews, outperforming similar previews from recent romantic films like The Lost City and Ticket to Paradise.
• Despite a 36% critic rating, the sequel’s preview performance and potential $30M-$35M domestic opening suggest it is not facing a box office curse like the original 1998 film, which had a 29% critic score but strong box office results.
• Practical Magic 2 benefits from premium large format (PLF) screenings, including Dolby Cinema, and Alcon financed half of the $70 million production; international earnings are projected between $18M-$23M across 77 territories excluding China.
• Neon’s sci-fi film Hope, directed by Na Hong-jin and starring Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander, opened to $1.1 million in 1,506 theaters, with expectations for mid-single-digit millions over its five-day debut following its success in South Korea.
• Additional releases this weekend include Disney’s documentary Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger and Angel Studios’ Runner, with official box office figures for Practical Magic 2 expected from Warner Bros on Friday.