This past weekend, no other movie, opening or already opened, stood a chance against Marvel Studio’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” The record-breaking opening took in $181 million domestically, making it the biggest November opening of all time and the second-biggest launch of 2022 – to date – behind “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” ($187.4 million).
Internationally, the film took in another $150.3 million for a total of $331.3 million globally. “Europe was strong overall, led by the U.K. ($15 million) and followed by France ($13.7 million),” states The Hollywood Reporter. “Among all markets, Mexico placed third with $12.8 million, followed by South Korea ($8.9 million) and Brazil ($7.1 million). “Wakanda Forever” also scored the highest opening in history in Nigeria, where the film’s African premiere was held.”
Only two other Marvel Cinematic Universe films, since the pandemic began, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” ($260 million dom./$601 million WW) and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” ($187.4 million dom./$452 million WW), have had higher openings, reported Yahoo! Entertainment.
Although the sequel didn’t perform better than the domestic debut in 2018 of “Black Panther,” it still has a long way to go and could possibly break more records. “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is now the 13th film on the list of all-time list domestic launches. The Hollywood Reporter said that Disney and Marvel now account for all but one of the 13 films.
The release and box office success comes as a welcome relief to theater owners as they continue to struggle as a result of the pandemic.
“It’s an outstanding result. The first film represented such a major cultural milestone that its performance would have been challenging to follow even under normal circumstances,” says box office analyst Shawn Robbins. “This performance from a sequel almost five years later speaks to the trust audiences have in Ryan Coogler, Marvel, and the entire creative team to continue the story in a respectful way after Chadwick Boseman’s tragic passing. It’s an opportunity for everyone to say goodbye to him together as the franchise moves forward with his legacy at the heart of it.”
Brooks Barnes of The New York Times said that the film cost an “estimated $250 million to produce and at least another $100 million to market.” Currently playing in 4,396 theaters in North America, “Wakanda Forever” had an “especially strong” showing at large-format IMAX theaters.
With words like “commands” and “rules,” have been used to describe “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”. Here are some headlines – and reviews – that have been used to describe the film:
- ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Ends Box Office Drought – The New York Times
- ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Commands Huge $181M U.S. Opening, $331.3M Globally – The Hollywood Reporter
- ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ notches record opening for November – CNN
- “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” tops box office, brings in $330 million worldwide – CBS News
- Box Office: ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ Rules With $330 Million Global Launch, $180 Million Domestic Debut – Variety
“Disney saves the box office,” said Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations. “What else is new? This is exactly what they were doing before the pandemic, during the pandemic and after the pandemic.”
Have you seen “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” yet? If so, let us know your review in the comments below.
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