Warner Bros. pulls Practical Magic 2 from 2,100 theaters ahead of Oct. 13 digital release
Warner Bros. has removed the sequel Practical Magic 2 from about 2,100 theaters weeks after its September opening, with a digital release set for October 13. Outlets describe a box office of about $100 million worldwide against a reported $75 million budget.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Warner Bros. has removed Practical Magic 2 from about 2,100 theaters, and the film is set for a digital release on Tuesday, October 13. ColliderN “The recently released sequel Practical Magic 2 is gearing up for a digital debut, having been removed from thousands of theaters.” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “The studio announced that the movie's digital release has been set for Tuesday, October 13.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1The film opened in more than 4,100 domestic theaters in September and now plays in roughly 2,000 nationwide, according to Collider. ColliderN “Practical Magic 2 opened in more than 4,100 theaters domestically, but is now playing in roughly 2,000 nationwide.” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Screen Rant gives a release date of September 11 and says the film debuted at No. 1 on its opening weekend, after toppling Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Screen RantN “Practical Magic 2, starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock, is officially leaving theaters after its release on September 11.”“It managed to topple the leading movie at the box office, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but failed to maintain its early success.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Screen RantN “After debuting at No. 1 at the box office on opening weekend this September” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Centre · 2The film has grossed an estimated $100 million worldwide, against a reported production budget of $75 million; Collider adds that its projected break-even point is $150 million. ColliderN “hit the $100 million mark worldwide this past weekend. However, this simply isn't enough, given its reported budget of $75 million and a projected break-even point of $150 million.” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “Practical Magic 2 has grossed an estimated $100 million worldwide as of early October” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 1The sequel stars Sandra Bullock, in her first theatrical release since 2022's The Lost City, and Nicole Kidman, with Maisie Williams, Joey King and Lee Pace, and was directed by Susanne Bier. ColliderN “Starring Sandra Bullock in her first theatrical release since 2022's The Lost City”“Also featuring Nicole Kidman, Maisie Williams, Joey King, and Lee Pace, the film was directed by Susanne Bier.” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 2Reception is split: critics gave it low Rotten Tomatoes scores (Collider reports 36%, Screen Rant 26%), while audiences gave it 91%. ColliderN “The sequel now sits at a 36% critics' score on the aggregator website, where its audience score is perched at a "Verified Hot" 91%.” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “Critics gave a rating of 26%, while audiences had the opposite reaction and gave a near-perfect score of 91%.” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Centre · 2The removal comes as Warner Bros. is being absorbed by Paramount; both outlets tie it to the weekend flop of Tom Cruise's Digger, which Collider says grossed $20 million worldwide in its opening weekend. ColliderN “Starring Tom Cruise, Digger grossed $20 million worldwide in its opening weekend” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “As of today (October 6), Paramount has officially merged with Warner Bros. Discovery to create Skydance.” Read at Screen Rant ↗ Centre · 2Collider says the studio overestimated the sequel's theatrical appeal but that it may do better digitally, and that Warner Bros. hopes to recover with Dune: Part Three in December; Screen Rant says the studio is focused on the digital release, which it calls almost guaranteed to bring more success. ColliderN “Although the studio overestimated the sequel's theatrical appeal, it may perform better when it debuts digitally on October 13.”“W.B. will now hope to save face with Dune: Part Three this December.” Read at Collider ↗ Screen RantN “Warner Bros. is focused on the movie's digital release, which is almost guaranteed to bring more success to the fantastical franchise.” Read at Screen Rant ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets treat the removal as another setback for a studio in upheaval, linking it to the Paramount takeover and the Digger flop, and present digital release as the sequel's next chance.
- Emphasis
- Box office shortfall against budget, the critic-audience split and the October 13 digital date.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither gives a Warner Bros. statement on the decision; the digital-release item says little beyond the date.
- Charged language
- “officially done”“shocking announcement”“historic underperformance”“underwhelming”
- For example
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“Warner Bros. is officially done with this fantasy sequel after an underwhelming box office performance, as it is removed from 2,100 theaters.” — Screen Rant
“while its ambitious new movie Digger delivered a historic underperformance at the box office.” — Collider
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Practical Magic 2 has been removed from about 2,100 theaters.
- Its digital release is set for October 13.
- It has grossed about $100 million worldwide against a reported $75 million budget.
- Audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes (91%) far exceed critics' scores.
Where accounts differ
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Critics' Rotten Tomatoes score
- Centre
- Collider reports 36%; Screen Rant reports 26%.
Warner Bros. Discovery organisation
The coverage reports Warner Bros. announcing the digital release date; Screen Rant says it is focused on digital, while Collider says the studio overestimated theatrical appeal. No direct studio statement is quoted.
“The studio announced that the movie's digital release has been set for Tuesday, October 13.” — Screen Rant
“Warner Bros. is focused on the movie's digital release” — Screen Rant
Practical Magic 2 other
Presented as a divisive sequel, panned by critics but liked by audiences, winding down in theaters after a No. 1 opening.
“Practical Magic 2 has been seriously divisive, especially between critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.” — Screen Rant
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre3 articles
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Warner Bros. Officially Removes Fantasy Sequel From 2,100 Theaters
Critical Places the removal within Warner Bros.' rough 2026 and the Digger bomb, stressing the shortfall against a $150 million break-even.
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Warner Bros. Fantasy Sequel Officially Removed From 2,100 Theaters
Mixed Frames the pullout as a 'shocking announcement' and a goodbye, while contrasting critic and audience reactions and expecting digital success.
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Warner Bros.' Record-Setting New Fantasy Sequel Sets Digital Release Next Week
Neutral Short announcement of the October 13 digital date, noting the film's No. 1 opening.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 6 Oct 10:30 First ColliderN Warner Bros. Officially Removes Fantasy Sequel From 2,100 Theaters
- 6 Oct 17:14 +6h 44m Screen RantN Warner Bros. Fantasy Sequel Officially Removed From 2,100 Theaters
- 6 Oct 19:05 +8h 36m Screen RantN Warner Bros.' Record-Setting New Fantasy Sequel Sets Digital Release Next Week
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.