Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ Has Massive $51M Box Office Opening

Paramount’s Bob Marley: One Love delivered a huge $50 million-plus domestic opening over the six-day Valentine’s Day-Presidents Day corridor. Estimates show One Love racking in an estimated $51.1 million for the six days domestically, including $33.2 million for the four-day Presidents Day weekend and a record $14 million on Valentine’s Day (rival studios say the decision to go out on sweetheart’s day day was a smart choice in building momentum). The movie’s weekend debut is on par with the starts of such musical biopics as Rocketman or Elvis, and did almost double the business it was tracking to do. (Grosses could shift once weekend actuals are issued Tuesday morning following the Monday holiday.)

Overseas, One Love earned an impressive $29 million for a global launch of $80 million against a $70 million budget. The film opened at No. 1 in 13 markets and set new opening day records for a music biopic in the U.K., France and other territories. In Jamaica, the film set the record for the biggest film opening of all time. One Love director Reinaldo Marcus Green’s depiction of the iconic Jamaican musician and Rastafarian stars newcomer Kingsley Ben-Adir. It chronicles Marley making his 1977 album Exodus and the events of the next several years, including an assassination attempt and his belief that music could heal his nation in its post-colonial era. The movie’s producers include Marley’s children Ziggy and Cedella, and his wife, Rita. Filmmaker Ziggy Marley said in a statement: “My family and I are honored with the amazing response to Bob Marley: One Love. Like my father’s music, this movie is meant for the people and his message of peace, love and unity is clearly connecting with audiences around the world. We thank the people for embracing this film and in so doing helping to highlight the message of one love.”

Source: Hollywood Reporter