Film

Hell Yeah, ‘Black Panther’ Is Already Smashing Box-Office Records

Turns out the hype is translating into dollar bills.

by Patrick Lenton  17 February 2018
Black Panther

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Marvel’s highly anticipated Black Panther is already breaking hearts and kicking goals, with the Wakandan super hero’s solo film already entering the record books after a single night in US theatres.

Turns out the extremely well deserved hype is translating into dollar bills.

Black Panther earned an amazing $25.5 million from domestic Thursday night previews,  which is nearly double the $12.7 million record for a February preview night, set in 2016 by Twentieth Century Fox’s lewd and crude Deadpool.

Within the Marvel cinematic universe, only the huge ensemble film Avengers: Age of Ultron earned more in Thursday night previews, with $27.6 million.

Updated forecasts from Disney now track Black Panther for a massive $165 million opening  in the $172 million-$198 million range in North America, during the four-day Presidents Day weekend.

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This is all extremely exciting numbers for film diversity lovers, considering that Black Panther’s protagonist T’Challa, is the first black character to lead a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie. Played by Chadwick Boseman, T’Challa is both a fierce cat-suit wearing hero and the king of a secret technologically advanced African nation. T’Challa was introduced to the MCU as part of the plot of Captain America: Civil War.

He is joined by a huge cast of mainly black actors, including Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, and Forest Whitaker. The film is directed by Ryan Coogler, whos is also the first black director of a Marvel film.

The film is also tearing down the idea that films rooted in black culture don’t sell well overseas, with Black Panther raking in $23.2 million overseas after opening in 17 locations, including Australia, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and France.

These numbers all point towards Black Panther earning enough to potentially put it in the range of the top 10 highest grossing openings for any superhero movie. Wakanda forever!