In a surprising turn of events, Paramount’s musical biopic Bob Marley: One Love has emerged victorious over Sony’s big budget superhero flick Madame Web at the box office this weekend, signaling a shift in audience preferences away from traditional superhero fare.
Bob Marley: One Love, a PG-13 drama targeting older female audiences, soared to the top of the box office charts, raking in an impressive $52 million over the extended holiday weekend.
In contrast, Madame Web, a suspense thriller featuring Dakota Johnson as a paramedic with psychic abilities, struggled to make an impact, generating a modest $26 million in ticket sales over the same period.
The stark difference in box office performance comes as a surprise, particularly considering the dominance of superhero tentpoles in recent years. However, industry experts suggest that this weekend’s showdown between the two films highlights a changing landscape in the entertainment industry, where superhero movies no longer hold unquestionable sway over audiences.
David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, noted that the days of plucking a character from a popular superhero movie and expecting it to carry a standalone film are long gone. While Madame Web hails from the Spider-Verse of characters that Sony licenses, it is not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, leading to challenges in attracting audiences.
The lackluster performance of Madame Web at the box office can also be attributed to scathing reviews and tepid audience reception. Despite its connection to the Spider-Man franchise, the film received a dismal “C+” CinemaScore from audiences and a meager 13% Rotten Tomatoes average among critics. In contrast, Bob Marley: One Love was embraced by moviegoers, earning an “A” CinemaScore.
Analysts believe that the success of “Bob Marley: One Love” underscores the rising popularity of musical biopics, which offer a refreshing alternative to traditional superhero fare. With recent hits such as Bohemian Rhapsody and Elvis, Hollywood has responded to the surge in demand for music-based films, with several high-profile projects in the pipeline.
