Black Power!
The release of Marvel’s long-awaited “Black Panther” inspired not just Hollywood in making history by producing the first all-black cast in a superhero movie. But the film also invoked black power throughout the US, Africa and abroad. From theater to theater those of African descent arrived in their version of black pride. From dashikis and African prints to all black leather in representations of the Black Panther party. Black people were lit and came to say that if someone can dress up for Star Wars as Luke Skywalker, then Black Panther would be the same.
The pride continued with the all-star cast of Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Scott, Lupita Nyong’o and Angela Bassett just to name a few, making the expectation high for all those who purchased tickets. The actors also felt the magnitude of this iconic film, Angela Bassett, admitted to Entertainment Weekly, that playing the Queen Mother was a dream that she thought would never be realized.
“I never thought I was going to see that in my day, to get to portray a queen,” she said. “I always joked around and said that I would like to portray a queen one day, but I didn’t think that would happen. I thought, ‘Hey it’s got to be possible in some mythological, mystical, make-believe world.’ And finally, it’s here — I guess you think these things and sometimes they come true.” Bassett said.
Girl Power!
The #BlackMagic Girl Power did not stop with the Queen Mother. Black Panther show black women in roles not typically shown in movies. The women of Wakanda were spies, scientists, and warriors. And not just any warriors, the Dora Milaje aka the Adorned Ones are enlisted as the King’s guards, showing dedication, loyalty and kick-assness are not limited to men.
Additionally, Black Panther showed the strength of sisterhood among black women in a day where reality TV portrays black women as catty, drink throwing chicks. The movie showed women working together without jealous or fighting over a man for a common goal, the love of country.
Money Power!
If anyone questioned whether an-all black superhero movie could live up to the numbers of other Marvel box office hits, the record-hitting numbers from the weekend have silenced the naysayers.
The movie earned a $201.8 million Fri-Sun weekend and will make an estimated $235m over the Fri-Mon holiday. Here are a few more Black Panther Money Power facts:
- Biggest February opening weekend: The previous high-water mark for a February opening weekend was Deadpool with $132 million.
- Biggest non-sequel opening weekend: Black Panther has the new record for the biggest Fri-Sun launch for a non-sequel/prequel, displacing The Hunger Games which opened with $152m in March of 2012.
- Biggest-grossing movie (in North America) directed by a black filmmaker: With at least $235 million in four days, it has already passed the (2D) domestic total of F. Gary Gray’s Fate of the Furious.
Additionally, Variety and many other news outlets have reported that Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has already started talks regarding a sequel of Black Panther and wanting Ryan Coogler to return as director.
“We always say we work on one movie at a time. If you have any good ideas, put it in the movie you’re making. If you don’t, you might not be able to make another one.” Feige continued, “That said, Panther has been around for more than half a century in the comic books, and there are many, many stories to television.”
