LOS ANGELES – For a second straight week, biopic “ Bob Marley: One Love ” continues to exceed expectations by claiming the No. 1 spot at the box office, overcoming two debut films and Sony’s “Madame Web” that’s still producing subpar numbers.
The Paramount film starring Kingsley Ben-Adir pulled in $13.5 million during its second week of release. The project, which was produced for about $70 million, already eclipsed that mark, grossing nearly $72 million domestically in North America.
It’s an impressive achievement for the Reinaldo Marcus Green-directed Marley’s musical biopic that’s focused on the Rastafarian legend’s story during the making of his 1977 album “Exodus” while leading up to his impactful concert in his native Jamaica.
“Some of his greatest hits came out nearly 50 years ago, but his music still resonates through this film,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore.
“One Love” drew nearly $2 million more than “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Hashira Training” which placed No. 2. The latest installment in the Japanese anime series from Crunchyroll and Sony debuted with $11.7 million.
“Demon Slayer” scored the impressive opening number from only 1,949 locations — far less than “One Love” with 3,597 and 3,020 for “ Ordinary Angels ” — a faith-based Lionsgate film starring Hilary Swank that placed third at the box office with an estimated $6.5 million.
“There might not be any huge blockbuster films recently, but there some real gems out there for moviegoers to see,” Dergarabedian said.
All three of those films outperformed better than “ Madame Web,” which has struggled to find its footing after the superhero movie flopped last week. It was thought the Spider-Man spinoff would draw strong numbers — especially with Dakota Johnson starring as the film’s lead Marvel character.
But so far, it hasn’t lived up to the hype, producing just $6 million in its second week and grossing a little more than a disappointing $35 million.
After its 10th weekend, Universal’s animated “ Migration ” rounded out the top five with $3 million, bringing its domestic total to $120 million. “ Argylle ” placed sixth with $2.8 million barely outpacing “ Wonka,” which reeled in $2.5 million. Paul King’s musical starring Timothée Chalamet as a young Willy Wonka has grossed more than $214 million after 11 weeks.
The Ethan Coen-directed “ Drive Away Dolls ” debuted eighth with $2.4 million ahead of “ The Beekeeper ” and “The Chosen” season four, a Christian series focused on Jesus Christ.
Dergarabedian called this past week a slow one. But next week, he expects it’ll pick up greatly with the highly anticipated “ Dune: Part Two ” making its long-waited debut, which should end the top spot reign by “One Love.”
“It’s the calm before the sandstorm,” he said.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. “Bob Marley: One Love,” $13.5 million.
2. ““Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba – To the Hashira Training,” $11.5 million.
3. “Ordinary Angels,” $6.5 million.
4. “Madame Web,” $6 million.
5. “Migration,” $3 million.
6. “Argylle,” $2.8 million.
7. “Wonka,” $2.5 million.
8. “Drive-Away Dolls,” $2.4 million.
9. “The Beekeeper,” $1.9 million.
10. “The Chosen,” Episodes 4-6, $1.7 million.
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