Feb 17, 2024,01:30pm EST
TOPLINE Paramount’s biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” about the reggae legend is estimated to rake in approximately $46 million in its first six days at the domestic box office, from Valentine’s Day to President’s Day, surpassing expectations and entering the ranks of other successful biopics.
KEY FACTS “One Love,” featuring Kingsley Ben-Adir as Bob Marley and Lashana Lynch as Rita Marley, earned $7.4 million across more than 3,500 theaters on Friday, bringing its three-day total to $25.3 million since its Wednesday release, as per Variety.
The biopic is projected to hit $46.2 million in its six-day opening, from Wednesday to Monday, according to reports from The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline, which includes the $14 million it amassed on its Wednesday debut, exceeding earlier forecasts of a $35 million six-day opening through Presidents’ Day.
This achievement makes “One Love” the highest-grossing midweek opening on Valentine’s Day, surpassing “The Vow” from 2012, which earned $11.5 million on its opening day.
It also outperforms recent musical biopics like “Rocketman” (2019), “Elvis” (2022), and “Respect” (2021), all of which opened on Fridays, along with “Jersey Boys” (2014), “Ray” (2004), “Walk the Line” (2005), and “All Eyez On Me” (2017).
The only music biopics with larger six-day openings were “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018) and “Straight Outta Compton” (2015).
CHIEF CRITIC “One Love” has received mixed reviews, with audiences giving it a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes while critics rated it at 43%. Critics argue that the movie’s script lacks depth and misses opportunities for insight into Bob Marley’s life.
CONTRA Paramount aims to reverse its disappointing 2023 at the box office with “Bob Marley: One Love,” following a string of flops compounded by industry strikes. Despite setbacks, a few films like “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” and “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” performed well, contributing to the year’s box office earnings.