Bob Marley biopic ‘One Love’ takes the bite out of ‘Madame Web’ at the box office

Moviegoers over the Presidents Day weekend showed more love for musicians with dreads than heroines with webs.

“Bob Marley: One Love,” the biopic spotlighting the legendary reggae star, exceeded expectations, taking in an estimated $52 million in its first six days — about double the $26.2 million of Sony’s “Madame Web,” the latest Marvel saga about a female superhero, according to data from the market research firm Comscore released Monday. Both films debuted on Wednesday, Valentine’s Day.

Critics have not 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, Stand Up.”

The three-day (Friday-Sunday) ticket sales for “One Love” totaled $27.7 million, in line with those of other rock-star biopics such as “Elvis” ($31.2 million in June 2022) and “Rocketman” ($25.7 million in May 2019), but trailed “Bohemian Rhapsody,” which grossed $51 million in November 2018.

Paramount distribution chief Chris Aronson said the film, directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, cruised past its initial $30-million six-day forecast thanks to its broad appeal.

“It was across all generations. It wasn’t just a movie for an older audience that grew up with Bob Marley’s music,” Aronson said. “Our highest quadrant was 18 to 24. A third of the audience was under 25.”

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The critical and popular reception of “Madame Web” has been largely negative, sparking more buzz about audiences undergoing superhero fatigue. It marks the second straight 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 marginally set 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, open theatrically.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Monday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore:

1. “Bob Marley: One Love,” $34.1 million
2. “Madame Web,” $18 million
3. “Argylle,” $5.8 million
4. “Migration,” $5.1 million
5. “Wonka,” $4.3 million
6. “The Chosen,” Episodes 4-6, $3.9 million
7. “The Beekeeper,” $3.8 million
8. “Anyone But You,” $2.8 million
9. “Lisa Frankenstein,” $2.5 million
10. “Land of Bad,” $2.1 million

Associated Press contributed to this report.