The highly anticipated biopic “Back to Black,” chronicling the life of the iconic singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, saw a disappointing opening weekend at the domestic box office. According to boxofficemojo.com, the film grossed just $2.85 million in its debut.
Placing sixth for the weekend, and third among new releases, “Back to Black” trailed behind the weekend leaders, with “IF” claiming the top spot with $35 million in its opening weekend, followed by “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” with $26 million in its second weekend. Other debuting films included “The Strangers: Chapter 1” with $12 million and “The Fall Guy” with $8.5 million. Even “Challengers” managed to surpass “Back to Black” with $2.9 million in its fourth weekend.
Comparatively, this year’s highest-grossing biopic, “Bob Marley: One Love,” raked in $33.6 million over its opening weekend during the three-day President’s Day weekend in February. For a more direct comparison, the Bob Marley biopic earned $28.7 million in its Friday to Sunday period.
Marisa Abela portrays Winehouse in “Back to Black,” directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and written by Matt Greenhalgh. This director-writer duo previously collaborated on “Nowhere Boy,” a 2009 film delving into the early life of John Lennon. Taylor-Johnson, known for “Fifty Shades of Grey,” directs the film.
Winehouse, known for her soulful voice and turbulent life, released only two albums during her lifetime. “Frank” hit shelves in October 2003, followed by the groundbreaking “Back to Black” in October 2006. The latter soared to the top of charts worldwide, topping the Official U.K. Album Chart and landing at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Its standout track, “Rehab,” earned Grammy Awards for Record and Song of the Year while making waves on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2008, Winehouse’s talent was celebrated with five Grammy wins, equalling the then-record for most Grammys won by a female artist in one year. Though her life was cut tragically short at 27 due to alcohol poisoning in July 2011, Winehouse’s legacy lives on. She posthumously received a sixth Grammy in February 2012 for her collaboration with Tony Bennett on “Body and Soul.”