Moviegoers over Presidents Day weekend show more love for musicians with dreadlocks than heroines with cobwebs.
“Bob Marley: One Love,” the biopic spotlighting the legendary reggae star, exceeded expectations, grossing an estimated $51 million in its first six days, nearly double the $25.8 million of Sony's “Madame Web,” Marvel's latest saga about a woman. superhero according to the market research firm Comscore. Both films were released on Wednesday, Valentine's Day.
Critics haven't found much to sing about when it comes to “Bob Marley: One Love,” although there has been considerable praise for Kingsley Ben-Adir's portrayal of Marley, who became a global superstar with hits like “Jammin' ” and “Get up, get up.”
According to Deadline, the three-day numbers for “One Love” ($27.7 million from Friday to Monday) were in line with those of other rock star biopics like “Elvis” ($31.2 million in June 2022). and “Rocketman” ($25.7 million in May 2019), but fell behind “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which grossed $51 million in November 2018.
But the critical and popular reception of “Madame Web” has been largely negative, generating more rumors that audiences are suffering from superhero fatigue. This is the second consecutive disappointment for Marvel since the poor showing late last year of “The Marvels,” the lowest-performing film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Madame Web” stars Dakota Johnson as a Manhattan paramedic who has the power to see the future. The film is set marginally within the “Spider-Man” franchise.
This week, Focus Features' “Drive-Away Dolls,” directed by Ethan Coen and starring Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, and “Ordinary Angels,” starring Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson, will be released in theaters.
