As previously reported, last week, Marvel’s Black Panther surpassed industry numbers by not needing the summer or blockbuster holiday season to absolutely destroy the box office with $292 million in the first seven days of release according to Vanity Fair.
The cinematic juggernaut continued to blitz the box office this past weekend, surpassing $400 million in North America alone! That’s another $108 million domestic gross, according to the New York Times, and that doesn’t even include the rest of the world. This beat almost every other film in the top five combined.
Black directors at the box office this past year. #FateOfTheFurious – $1.1 billion#BlackPanther – $424 million and counting#GetOut – $255 million#GirlsTrip – $140 million#Moonlight – $65 million#EverythingEverything – $37 million#WrinkleInTime – Coming Soon#BHM pic.twitter.com/7wo98Ggcki
— Matthew T’Cherry (@MatthewACherry) February 21, 2018
With the rest of the global intake, the inhabitants of Wakanda are well on their way to raking in more than $700 million in just the first 12 days of release. To put things in perspective of why that’s so nuts: Marvel’s Guardian’s of the Galaxy, which came out in the beginning of 2017’s summer blockbuster season, only took in $773 million. And here’s Black Panther swooping in to do that in just 12 days!Â
Talk about a force to be reckoned with.
The success of Black Panther proves that not only superhero films, but diverse films in general, have standing power when it comes to the global box office. The film was done well and in utter respect of the African cultures it took its influence from. Similar to the wild success of last year’s Wonder Woman, which featured a female superhero at the helm, as well as an army of Amazons, this proves that people of color and female-led films have box office power and can stand up to films with Caucasian leads or predominantly male casts.
New #BlackPanther box office numbers just in. Today the film will cross $500M globally after just 9 days of release. Global Box Office as of right now is $491.1M. pic.twitter.com/bmvXVeVfoM
— KelleyLCarter (@KelleyLCarter) February 22, 2018
We can have more diverse films, if we just allow them to be made. There is very clearly an audience for them with more people looking to be represented in large budget films. Representation is necessary and can truly make a dent in the box office.
Take it from Black Panther: a diverse superhero film is not to be feared and can be done — well. The numbers speak for themselves.Â
Let’s continue to step it up, Hollywood.