Box Office: ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Exceeds Expectations With $51 Million Debut, ‘Madame Web’ Disappoints

Paramount’s musical biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” surpassed expectations in its box office debut, raking in $27.7 million over the weekend and $51 million over the six-day holiday period. Initially forecasted to earn $30 million to $35 million during the Valentine’s Day to Presidents’ Day weekend, the film’s appeal to audiences propelled it to higher figures, despite mixed reviews from critics. Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and starring Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch, the film received an “A” CinemaScore from moviegoers.

Overseas, “One Love” added $29 million from 47 territories, bringing its global tally to $80 million. With a production budget of $70 million, the film will need to maintain its momentum to justify its cost.

In contrast, Sony’s “Madame Web,” starring Dakota Johnson, disappointed at the box office, earning $17.6 million over the weekend and $25.8 million during the six-day period. Despite costing $80 million to produce, the film received a lackluster “C+” CinemaScore and garnered poor reviews from critics. Its underperformance adds to a string of disappointments in the superhero genre, including “The Marvels” and “The Flash.”

Overall, the Presidents’ Day weekend saw lackluster box office numbers, with total domestic revenues reaching only $75 million for three days and $89 million for four days, the lowest since 1995. However, “Bob Marley: One Love” provided a bright spot amidst the otherwise sluggish holiday weekend.