Paramount’s musical biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” and Sony’s comic book adventure “Madame Web” are set to hit theaters, but neither film is expected to dominate the holiday weekend.
“Bob Marley: One Love” is projected to lead the box office with an estimated $30 million to $35 million in ticket sales from Wednesday through President’s Day on Monday. Meanwhile, “Madame Web” is anticipated to generate $22 million to $25 million during the same six-day period.
Despite being the top contender, these figures aren’t exactly encouraging, especially considering the production budgets of each film. “Bob Marley” cost $70 million to produce, while “Madame Web” had an $80 million budget, not including marketing expenses. Additionally, the fact that these estimates cover a six-day period rather than the usual three-day weekend adds to the challenges for both films.
The release of two new movies provides a welcome boost for cinemas, but it’s unlikely to significantly revive the domestic box office, which remains down 15% from 2023. Comparisons to previous years, particularly last year’s President’s Day release of Disney’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” further highlight the industry’s struggles. Unless there’s a surprise hit this weekend, the box office may not see a significant rebound until the release of Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” on March 1.
“Madame Web” features Dakota Johnson in the titular role, marking her return to the Valentine’s Day box office following her success in the “Fifty Shades” trilogy. However, the film’s connection to Marvel Comics comes at a challenging time for superhero movies. Recent releases from both Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe and Warner Bros.’ DC Extended Universe have faced disappointing box office results. With Sony’s Marvel offshoots, success has been mixed, with hits like “Venom” and misses like “Morbius.”
Critics’ reviews for “Madame Web” have also been less than favorable, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of just 23%. Described as a “genuine Chernobyl-level disaster” by Rolling Stone’s critic David Fear, and criticized as a “hollow Spider-Man spinoff” by Variety’s Peter Debruge, the film faces an uphill battle to attract audiences. In the film directed by S.J. Clarkson, Johnson portrays the clairvoyant Cassie Webb, who teams up with three young women, including Sydney Sweeney, as they are pursued by a deadly enemy.
As audiences prepare to celebrate Valentine’s Day, the box office showdown between “Bob Marley: One Love” and “Madame Web” will undoubtedly be one to watch, but expectations for both films remain cautious.