Bob Marley: One Love, the latest music biopic to hit the big screen, has achieved a remarkable milestone by surpassing $100 million at the global box office. The film has been a massive success, earning $61.4 million domestically and $39.7 million overseas in just 10 days since its release.
The Paramount movie is set to dominate the domestic box office once again this weekend, with early estimates suggesting it will rake in an impressive $13.4 million to $14 million from 3,597 locations. This continued success comes as no surprise, considering the film’s incredible six-day launch of $51.1 million over the Valentine’s Day-Presidents Day corridor. This opening places it among the top music biopics of all time, trailing only behind Straight Outta Compton.
In contrast, Sony’s Madame Web has struggled to find its footing at the box office. The female-led superhero film is projected to gross around $5 million from 4,013 theaters in its second weekend, placing it in fourth position behind One Love, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, and Ordinary Angels, a new film starring Hilary Swank.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba, an anime series from Crunchyroll and Sony, is expected to secure second place with an estimated $11 million to $12 million from 1,949 theaters. The film’s popularity among fanboys has contributed to its strong performance.
Ordinary Angels, a faith-based film from Lionsgate, is also anticipated to perform well with a potential $6 million from 3,020 cinemas. The movie has received an A+ CinemaScore from audiences, indicating positive word-of-mouth and potential for continued success.
On the other hand, Drive-Away Dolls, a specialty film directed by Ethan Coen of Coen brothers fame, has faced challenges at the box office. Despite its star-studded cast, including Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Pedro Pascal, and Matt Damon, the lesbian road-trip comedy is projected to earn only $2.3 million to $2.4 million from 2,280 locations. The film received a C+ CinemaScore, similar to Madame Web’s reception last week. However, there is hope that Drive-Away Dolls may find an audience through premium video-on-demand platforms.
The overall domestic box office has experienced a significant decline in revenue during January and February due to strike delays and a lack of new releases. However, the landscape is expected to improve on March 1 with the release of Warner Bros. and Legendary’s highly anticipated film Dune: Part Two. The Denis Villeneuve-directed movie, starring Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, has already garnered critical acclaim with a 97 percent Rotten Tomatoes critics score.
While the industry has faced challenges in recent months, there have been notable successes such as One Love and Mean Girls, both distributed by Paramount. Additionally, Searchlight’s Oscar contender Poor Things has performed exceptionally well in the art house market and is expected to surpass $100 million globally over the weekend.
As the box office numbers continue to evolve, it will be interesting to see how these films fare in the coming weeks.