This may be the first time there has been a six-day “weekend” at the cinema, but thanks to Valentine’s falling on Wednesday and Presidents’ Day falling on Monday, that’s what this is.
The musical biopic Bob Marley: One Love scored as a romantic date movie on V-Day and continued to appeal even though its grosses diminished over the following days. Its running total is $51 million. Isolating the three-day weekend, it made $28.6M. Over four days, it took in $33.2M.
Audiences are jammin’ with this picture, bestowing it with an A CinemaScore and five out of five stars via PostTrak. On Rotten Tomatoes, its audience score is 92%. However, critics are not feeling the vibes with a rotten 42%.
Bob Marley: One Love was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green who previously helmed the biopic King Richard starring Will Smith. Kingsley Ben-Adir portrays the legendary reggae singer with Lashana Lynch as his wife Rita. The real-life Rita served as an executive producer, along with two of their kids Ziggy and Cedella.
Getting a far worse reaction is Sony’s Madame Web, the studio’s latest attempt to mine the Spider-Man franchise without Spider-Man. Despite dreadful reviews and audience reactions, Madame Web came in toward the top of its projections with $15.1M over three days, $17.6M over four, and $25.8M over six.
This film earned a C+ CinemaScore, equal to Sony’s last Spider-dud Morbius. Via PostTrak, it only garnered 1½ stars. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 56% audience score, but not surprisingly, its critical score is far more dismal at 13%. (Morbius sits at a comparable 15%.) Things don’t bode well for Kraven the Hunter, which opens later this year.
S.J. Clarkson directed Madame Web. The filmstars Dakota Johnson as the precognitive Cassandra “Cassie” Web. She must defend three teens portrayed by Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, and Isabela Merced, who have been targeted by the superpowered villain Ezekiel Sims, played by Tahar Rahim.
Argylle and Migration continued to hold up. The other new addition to the Top Five is The Chosen Season 4, Episodes 4-6, a Fathom Events release of the faith-based TV series.
Check out the Top Five below:
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- Bob Marley: One Love (Paramount) – 3-day $27.7M /4-day $33.2M /6-Day $51M/Wk 1
- Madame Web (Sony) – 3-day $15.1M /4-day $17.6M /6-Day $25.8M/ Wk 1
- Argylle (Apple /Universal) – 3-day $4.7M /4-day $5.55M /Total $37.2M/ Wk 3
- Migration (Illumination/ Universal) – 3-day $3.75M /4-day $5M /Total $116M/ Wk 9
- Chosen Season 4, Eps 4-6 (Fathom Events) – 3-day $3.44M /4-day $4.1M /Total $4.8M /Wk 1
Falling out of the Top Five is last week’s highest debut Lisa Frankenstein, and Wonka, and The Beekeeper.
There is nothing much coming out next weekend. Once again, it’s due to an after-effect of last year’s writers’ and actors’ strikes. One sleeper that could do well is Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Hashira Training. Anime has been doing well with limited releases and Demon Slayer is one of the most popular.
The last theatrical release, Demon Slayer Into the Swordsmith Village, opened with $10.1M last year.
Did you jam to Bob Marley: One Love? Or did you torture yourself and check out Madame Web? What do you plan to check out this weekend?
