A wave of feverish anticipation, fawning critical acclaim and groundbreaking cultural meaning pushed B次元官网网址淏lack PantherB次元官网网址� to a record-setting $192 million debut in U.S. and Canada theatres, 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 B次元官网网址淪tar Wars: The Force Awakens,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址漇tar Wars: The Last Jedi,B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址滼urassic WorldB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淭he Avengers.B次元官网网址�
In estimates Sunday, Disney predicted a four-day holiday weekend of $218 million domestically and a global debut of $361 million.
Though the filmB次元官网网址檚 international footprint doesnB次元官网网址檛 include several of the largest markets B次元官网网址� China, Russia and Japan B次元官网网址� it still ranks among the top 15 global debuts ever. ItB次元官网网址檚 also the highest-grossing February opening weekend.
B次元官网网址淎ll hail the King of Wakanda!B次元官网网址� Disney declared, referring to the movieB次元官网网址檚 mythical and highly advanced African nation.
Ryan CooglerB次元官网网址檚 film, which cost about $200 million to make, is the most expensive movie with a largely black ensemble and among the few to be centred on a black superhero. The strong opening suggests B次元官网网址淏lack PantherB次元官网网址� will easily set a box-office record for films directed by a black filmmaker.
The previous best is Sidney PoitierB次元官网网址檚 1980 comedy B次元官网网址淪tir Crazy,B次元官网网址� which took in $322 million domestically, when inflation is calculated.
B次元官网网址淏lack PantherB次元官网网址� set pre-sale records and saw lines around theatres over the weekend, including some who came costumed for the event.
B次元官网网址淭his is the very definition of a blockbuster: People lining up around the block to see a great movie,B次元官网网址� said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore. B次元官网网址淎 movie like B次元官网网址楤lack PantherB次元官网网址� is a cultural event that nothing on the small screen can really match in that way.B次元官网网址�
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Chadwick Boseman stars as TB次元官网网址機halla/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 NyongB次元官网网址檕, Daniel Kaluuya and Letitia Wright.
The movie has been hugely acclaimed, with a 97 per cent fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences agreed, giving it an A-plus CinemaScore. The film especially resonated among African-Americans, who made up 37 per cent of moviegoers, according to comScore.
Dave Hollis, distribution chief for Disney, called the filmB次元官网网址檚 success B次元官网网址渁 real source of prideB次元官网网址� for Disney.
B次元官网网址淚nclusion and representation matters,B次元官网网址� Hollis said. B次元官网网址淲e 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 B次元官网网址� no matter who they are, no matter where they come from.B次元官网网址�
Coming at one of the slower periods of the year, B次元官网网址淏lack PantherB次元官网网址� benefited from little competition, and it can be expected to dominate the marketplace for weeks.
Last weekB次元官网网址檚 top film, the erotic romance sequel B次元官网网址淔ifty Shades Freed,B次元官网网址� slid to third place, with $16.9 million in its second week for Universal. SonyB次元官网网址檚 childrenB次元官网网址檚 book adaptation B次元官网网址淧eter RabbitB次元官网网址� held much stronger, taking the No. 2 spot with $17.3 million in its second week.
But moviegoers B次元官网网址� and Hollywood B次元官网网址� were focused on B次元官网网址淏lack Panther,B次元官网网址� 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.
B次元官网网址淏lack PantherB次元官网网址� vanquished those notions with $169 million in ticket sales. It was No. 1 in most international markets, though B次元官网网址淔ifty Shades FreedB次元官网网址� bested it in Germany.
Its release in China will come later. This weekend, the Chinese New Year holiday, local productions led by B次元官网网址淒etective Chinatown 2B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淢onster Hunt 2B次元官网网址� dominated Chinese theatres, with more than $140 million in ticket sales each.
B次元官网网址淏lack PantherB次元官网网址� also performed especially well on large-format screens. Imax reported $30 million in ticket sales for the three-day weekend.
B次元官网网址淭here 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,B次元官网网址� said Greg Foster, Imax EntertainmentB次元官网网址檚 chief executive. B次元官网网址淭hat makes me feel really good about the movie business.B次元官网网址�
star Chadwick Boseman appears on our cover. Here's how he and Ryan Coogler created the most radical superhero movie of all time
B次元官网网址� Rolling Stone (@RollingStone)
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, 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. B次元官网网址淏lack Panther,B次元官网网址� $192 million ($169 million international).
2. B次元官网网址淧eter Rabbit,B次元官网网址� $17.3 million.
3. B次元官网网址淔ifty Shades Freed,B次元官网网址� $16.9 million ($47.7 million international).
4. B次元官网网址淛umanji Welcome to the Jungle,B次元官网网址� $7.9 million ($4.8 million international).
5. B次元官网网址淭he 15:17 to Paris,B次元官网网址� $7.7 million ($2.8 million international).
6. B次元官网网址淭he Greatest Showman,B次元官网网址� $5.1 million ($9.6 million international).
7. B次元官网网址淓arly Man,B次元官网网址� $3.2 million ($3.7 million international).
8. B次元官网网址淢aze Runner: The Death Cure,B次元官网网址� $2.5 million ($11 million international).
9. B次元官网网址淲inchester,B次元官网网址� $2.2 million.
10. B次元官网网址淪amson,B次元官网网址� $2 million.
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Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theatres (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore:
1. B次元官网网址淏lack Panther,B次元官网网址� $169 million.
2. B次元官网网址淒etective Chinatown 2,B次元官网网址� $155 million.
3. B次元官网网址淢onster Hunt 2,B次元官网网址� $141 million.
4. B次元官网网址淥peration Red Sea,B次元官网网址� $70.3 million.
5. B次元官网网址淭he Monkey King 3: Kingdom of Women,B次元官网网址� $52.3 million.
6. B次元官网网址淔ifty Shades Freed,B次元官网网址� $47.7 million.
7. B次元官网网址淏oonie Bears: The Big Shrink,B次元官网网址� $32.6 million.
8. B次元官网网址淭he Shape of Water,B次元官网网址� $12.3 million.
9. B次元官网网址淢aze Runner: The Death Cure,B次元官网网址� $11 million.
10. B次元官网网址淭he Greatest Showman,B次元官网网址� $9.6 million.
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Jake Coyle, The Associated Press
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