In the short amount of time since its premiere, Black Panther has defied all expectations.
It’s been just over a week since MCU’s newest film premiered, and Black Panther is already defying expectations both in the box office and out. The buildup and hype certainly wasn’t unwarranted; the movie has both a satisfying plot and a phenomenal cast. Black Panther tells the story of King T’Challa of Wakanda and the conflict that ensues when his throne is challenged by an outsider harboring hatred against the peaceful nation. The movie picks up shortly after the events of Captain America: Civil War, meaning that this is not an origin story. I repeat: this is not an origin story. However, the film still does an adequate job explaining the abilities and responsibilities of the Black Panther, so those coming into it with no background knowledge aren’t left in the dust.
Black Panther has been one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year, and its box office success reflects that. The movie opened with $201.8 million domestically in its opening weekend, breaking Captain America: Civil War’s record to make it the biggest domestic opening weekend for a non-Avenger film from Marvel. This also happened to make it the fifth biggest domestic opening weekend in history, coming in right behind The Avengers and Jurassic World. That wasn’t the mark the movie made, either. It was also the biggest worldwide debut of a film with a principally black cast, along with the most successful domestic opening weekend for a black director. Following the initial opening, Black Panther made $108 million domestically in its second weekend, which puts it on track to make more in the box office than The Avengers did.
The film’s success isn’t limited to the United States, though. Black Panther is making a splash globally, premiering in China, Japan, and Russia–along with breaking more box office records in Africa. The film received the third-biggest opening weekend in South Africa ever, earning $1.4 million dollars. Overall, Black Panther has made $704 million globally.
This success can be attributed to many different factors. For one, the plot is fulfilling and unlike anything else Marvel has done. Additionally, all actors deliver a stellar performance. Something that took audiences by surprise, however, was the gratifying empowerment of women that Marvel–and most action movies in general–typically lacks. With the exception of Wonder Woman, the world of superheroes has been sadly coming up short in this department, but Black Panther brings not just one, but several capable and influential women in the film. Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, and Letitia Wright stand out among the cast, playing a spy, a general, and a technology wizard respectively. While they all have a close relationship with T’Challa, their plotlines do not revolve around it, which is a refreshing break from the norm. The women of Black Panther prove over and over again that they are just as competent and qualified as the male characters–who are also extremely talented actors. Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan give terrific performances as T’Challa and Erik Kilmonger, and Daniel Kaluuya and Winston Duke deliver equally excellent acting as W’Kabi and M’Baku.
Black Panther is a global sensation for a reason. It’s demolishing current box office records around the world, adding more diversity to Hollywood, and bringing talented actors into their well-deserved spotlight. It’s no wonder this film is such a phenomenon. Wakanda forever!