The
studio enjoyed a weekend of $192
million in the U.S. and Canada.
Though the film's international
footprint doesn't include several of
the largest markets — China, Russia,
Japan — it still ranks among the top
15 global debuts ever. (Disney
Studio Photo)
‘Black
Panther’
blows
away box
office
with
$192M
weekend
By
JAKE
COYLE
APNews.com
NEW
YORK - A
wave of
feverish
anticipation,
fawning
critical
acclaim
and
groundbreaking
cultural
meaning
pushed
“Black
Panther”
to a
record-setting
$192
million
debut in
U.S. and
Canada
theaters,
firmly
establishing
the
superhero
sensation
as a
box-office
landmark.
The
Marvel
film
from the
Walt
Disney
Co. blew
past
expectations
to
become
the
fifth-highest-grossing
debut
ever,
not
adjusting
for
inflation,
following
only
“Star
Wars:
The
Force
Awakens,”
″Star
Wars:
The Last
Jedi,”
″Jurassic
World”
and “The
Avengers.”
In
estimates
Sunday,
Disney
predicted
a
four-day
holiday
weekend
of $218
million
domestically
and a
global
debut of
$361
million.
Though
the
film’s
international
footprint
doesn’t
include
several
of the
largest
markets
— China,
Russia
and
Japan —
it still
ranks
among
the top
15
global
debuts
ever.
It’s
also the
highest-grossing
February
opening
weekend.
“All
hail the
King of
Wakanda!”
Disney
declared,
referring
to the
movie’s
mythical
and
highly
advanced
African
nation.
Ryan
Coogler’s
film,
which
cost
about
$200
million
to make,
is the
most
expensive
movie
with a
largely
black
ensemble
and
among
the few
to be
centered
on a
black
superhero.
The
strong
opening
suggests
“Black
Panther”
will
easily
set a
box-office
record
for
films
directed
by a
black
filmmaker.
The
previous
best is
Sidney
Poitier’s
1980
comedy
“Stir
Crazy,”
which
took in
$322
million
domestically,
when
inflation
is
calculated.
“Black
Panther”
set
pre-sale
records
and saw
lines
around
theaters
over the
weekend,
including
some who
came
costumed
for the
event.
“This is
the very
definition
of a
blockbuster:
People
lining
up
around
the
block to
see a
great
movie,”
said
Paul
Dergarabedian,
senior
media
analyst
for
comScore.
“A movie
like
‘Black
Panther’
is a
cultural
event
that
nothing
on the
small
screen
can
really
match in
that
way.”
Chadwick
Boseman
stars as
T’Challa/Black
Panther
in the
first
stand-alone
film for
the
superhero
created
by Stan
Lee and
Jack
Kirby in
1966.
The cast
also
features
Michael
B.
Jordan,
Lupita
Nyong’o,
Daniel
Kaluuya
and
Letitia
Wright.
The
movie
has been
hugely
acclaimed,
with a
97
percent
fresh
rating
from
Rotten
Tomatoes.
Audiences
agreed,
giving
it an
A-plus
CinemaScore.
The film
especially
resonated
among
African-Americans,
who made
up 37
percent
of
moviegoers,
according
to
comScore.
Dave
Hollis,
distribution
chief
for
Disney,
called
the
film’s
success
“a real
source
of
pride”
for
Disney.
“Inclusion
and
representation
matters,”
Hollis
said.
“We know
that
great
stories
can come
from
anywhere,
and our
goal is
to make
films
that
reflect
the
wonderful
diversity
of our
world
and
resonate
with
audiences
everywhere
— no
matter
who they
are, no
matter
where
they
come
from.”
Coming
at one
of the
slower
periods
of the
year,
“Black
Panther”
benefited
from
little
competition,
and it
can be
expected
to
dominate
the
marketplace
for
weeks.
Last
week’s
top
film,
the
erotic
romance
sequel
“Fifty
Shades
Freed,”
slid to
third
place,
with
$16.9
million
in its
second
week for
Universal.
Sony’s
children’s
book
adaptation
“Peter
Rabbit”
held
much
stronger,
taking
the No.
2 spot
with
$17.3
million
in its
second
week.
But
moviegoers
— and
Hollywood
— were
focused
on
“Black
Panther,”
including
how it
would
fare
overseas.
Though
considered
by most
to be an
outdated
myth,
some
have
claimed
that
foreign
audiences
have
less
appetite
for
films
with
largely
black
casts.
“Black
Panther”
vanquished
those
notions
with
$169
million
in
ticket
sales.
It was
No. 1 in
most
international
markets,
though
“Fifty
Shades
Freed”
bested
it in
Germany.
Its
release
in China
will
come
later.
This
weekend,
the
Chinese
New Year
holiday,
local
productions
led by
“Detective
Chinatown
2” and
“Monster
Hunt 2"
dominated
Chinese
theaters,
with
more
than
$140
million
in
ticket
sales
each.
“Black
Panther”
also
performed
especially
well on
large-format
screens.
Imax
reported
$30
million
in
ticket
sales
for the
three-day
weekend.
“There
was a
groundswell
of
wanting
this
movie to
work,
and then
when it
actually
did as a
film,
itself,
it just
kicked
it up a
notch to
a level
no one
could
have
ever
predicted,”
said
Greg
Foster,
Imax
Entertainment’s
chief
executive.
“That
makes me
feel
really
good
about
the
movie
business.”
Estimated
ticket
sales
for
Friday
through
Sunday
at U.S.
and
Canadian
theaters,
according
to
comScore.
Where
available,
the
latest
international
numbers
for
Friday
through
Sunday
also are
included.
Final
four-day
domestic
figures
will be
released
Tuesday.
1.
“Black
Panther,”
$192
million
($169
million
international).
2.
“Peter
Rabbit,”
$17.3
million.
3.
“Fifty
Shades
Freed,”
$16.9
million
($47.7
million
international).
4. “Jumanji
Welcome
to the
Jungle,”
$7.9
million
($4.8
million
international).
5.
“The
15:17 to
Paris,”
$7.7
million
($2.8
million
international).
6.
“The
Greatest
Showman,”
$5.1
million
($9.6
million
international).
7.
“Early
Man,”
$3.2
million
($3.7
million
international).
8.
“Maze
Runner:
The
Death
Cure,”
$2.5
million
($11
million
international).
9.
“Winchester,”
$2.2
million.
10.
“Samson,”
$2
million.
___
Estimated
ticket
sales
for
Friday
through
Sunday
at
international
theaters
(excluding
the U.S.
and
Canada),
according
to
comScore:
1.
“Black
Panther,”
$169
million.
2.
“Detective
Chinatown
2,” $155
million.
3.
“Monster
Hunt 2,”
$141
million.
4.
“Operation
Red
Sea,”
$70.3
million.
5.
“The
Monkey
King 3:
Kingdom
of
Women,”
$52.3
million.