LOS ANGELES, Feb 19 — Paramount’s new musical biopic Bob Marley: One Love enjoyed the adoration of North American theatregoers this weekend, topping the box office with estimated earnings of US$27.7 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported yesterday.

“This is an excellent opening for a musical biography,” analyst David A. Gross said, adding that the film was doing much better with audiences than with critics.

British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir, who plays the iconic reggae singer in the story of his rapid rise and too-soon death, previously drew attention for his portrayal of Malcolm X in One Night in Miami.

Lashana Lynch plays Rita Marley, and son Ziggy Marley is one of the film’s producers.

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Another new release, Sony/Marvel superhero thriller Madame Web, placed second for the Friday-through-Sunday period, at US$15.2 million.

Analysts called that a disappointing opening, given the film’s US$80 million production cost — and its meagre 13 per cent positive rating on the Rotten Tomatoes website.

Gone are the days, said Gross, of Franchise Entertainment Research, when “you could pluck a character out of a popular superhero movie and make a hit film about them.”

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Dakota Johnson plays the titular Madame Web — a paramedic with psychic talents — in this fourth film in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe series.

Dropping to third from last weekend’s top spot was Universal’s spy thriller Argylle, at US$4.7 million. It has now taken in US$36.4 million domestically — “tragic” figures for a film with a US$200 million budget, according to Variety.

In fourth, flying steady in its fifth weekend out, was Universal’s family-friendly animation Migration, at US$3.8 million.

And in fifth was another chapter of Fathom Events’ story of the life of Jesus Christ, The Chosen: S4, EP 4-6. It earned US$3.4 million.

Warner Bros.’ musical Wonka finally dropped out of the top five in its 10th week out, but did manage to hit the US$600 million mark globally.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

Wonka (US$3.4 million)

The Beekeeper (US$3.3 million)

Anyone But You (US$2.4 million)

Lisa Frankenstein (US$2 million)

Land of Bad (US$1.8 million)

— AFP