For a second straight weekend, Black Panther is smashing box-office records. It’s already tied with Jurassic World for second-fastest movie to reach $400 million at domestic box offices. The only film to hit the same figure at a faster pace was Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which did so in just eight days.
The film, set in Wakanda, a fictional nation inside the Marvel Universe, is living up to the hype with both box-office sales and a shining critical reception. Last Monday, Black Panther reeled in the biggest Monday sales ever, earning $40.2 million domestically. But it also generated $108 million during its second weekend. The only film to do better was Star Wars: The Force Awakens. To put all of this in perspective, Black Panther was only projected to earn $100 million during its opening weekend.
But domestic records aren’t the only thing this film is smashing – it’s already left projections for international sales in the dust. Last week, Black Panther earned more than $100 million a day on the overseas market. Black Panther’s success on the international market is being heralded as a sharp rebuke to Hollywood’s long-held notion that movies centered on black or female characters don’t perform well on a global scale.
Even director Ryan Coogler seemed surprised and humbled by the film’s massive success. After opening weekend, he took to Instagram to make an emotional appeal to fans: “Never in a million years did we imagine that you all would come out this strong. It still humbles me to think that people care enough to spend their money and time watching our film.”
He added: “But to see people of all backgrounds wearing clothing that celebrates their heritage, taking pictures next to our posters with their friends and family, and sometimes dancing in the lobbies of theaters, often moved me and my wife to tears.”
