Dig your claws into the ground and hold on because Disney and Marvel‘s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is already making bank at the box office. Ryan Coogler‘s highly-anticipated sequel to 2018’s Black Panther pounced on 17 international box office locations for a $10.1M day-one springboard. The film will open in more overseas locations throughout the weekend, with domestic previews beginning Thursday afternoon.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opened on Wednesday in France, Germany, Italy, and Korea, securing the top spot in all territories. The superhero sequel earned $2.2M in France, making Wednesday the third-highest opening day of 2022 with a 70% market share. Other totals include $1.4M in Korea, $900K in Indonesia and Germany, 800K in Thailand, and $4M in parts of Latin America.
Coogler’s Black Panther took the box office by storm in 2018. Analysts and audiences underestimated the appeal and cultural reach of the film, which seems ridiculous given the film’s boffo financial performance and influence over geek culture. Black Panther sharpened its claws on a $202 million opening, then pounced on $700.4M domestically and $1.3 billion worldwide. Some say Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could earn more than the original as fans are eager to see how the film addresses the untimely passing of Chadwick Boseman’s King T’Challa.
Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Angela Bassett, Winston Duke, and Dominique Thorne, in her debut as Riri Williams (Ironheart), are taking center stage for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with Tenoch Huerta as Namor the Sub-Mariner. Ryan Coogler returns to the franchise to direct and co-write the sequel with Joe Robert Cole, which looks as colorful, emotional, and exciting as the original. The sequel finds Wakanda pitted against intervening world powers as they mourn the loss of King T’Challa.
Will you see Black Panther: Wakanda Forever during the film’s opening weekend? I bought my tickets last night and can’t wait to experience the final Marvel movie of 2022. Let us know if you’re excited about Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in the comments.