…
The production handling Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever expects a stellar performance for its weekend debut.
According to box office analysts, the movie could outperform its initial forecast, averaging $185 million in domestic ticket sales. In addition, analysts said the Black Panther sequel might reach over $200 million in sales. The movie follows the story of a new Black Panther, this time in the character of T’Challa’s younger sister, Shuri.
Chadwick Boseman, the artist who starred as T’Challa in the first Black Panther movie, died of colon cancer. Hence, the 2018 movie took long enough to produce the sequel to the first movie. However, the reason why the movie is expected to hit big at the box office is not just because of the first film’s popularity. But because it commemorates Boseman, a character well-loved by fans on and off the screen.
Moreover, the expected high sales of the Black Panther sequel benefit theatre operators, which suffered during the pandemic. For instance, AMC Entertainment, the largest movie theatre operator in the whole world, just recorded another set of losses this quarter.
″‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ is opening under extraordinary circumstances amidst a wave of goodwill and an outpouring of support for the work and legacy of Chadwick Boseman and the indelible mark he made in the title role in the original film that was a billion-dollar global hit,” said Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst at Comscore.
Read Also: Chris Evans Talks About his Dog, Dodger, Dog Food Company Jinx’s New Partner
A tribute to Black Panther
Boseman’s death saddened many. And now that a movie commemorating his on-screen memory prepares for a debut, the anticipation remains high. The intense anticipation from Marvel fans could lead the weekend debut of the latest Black Panther movie to par with record-breaking sales like Marvel’s ”Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick.”
The Multiverse of Madness still clinches the top spot for the highest sales in 2022. It generated over $187 million in domestic ticket sales when it aired last Mar. Other blockbuster hits include, “Jurassic World: Dominion” ($145 million), “Thor: Love and Thunder” ($144 million), “The Batman” ($134 million), and “Top Gun: Maverick” ($126 million).
Analysts expect the Black Panther movie to top the 2022 movie sales but to snatch the top 1 spot for the highest domestic ticket sales in November. “Hunger Games: Catching Fire” currently holds the top spot with $153 million in total sales when it debuted in 2013.
Read Also: Robbie Coltrane, Famous for his Portrayal of Rubeus Hagrid, Passes Away
Representation
According to analysts and operators, Hispanic and African-American moviegoers should flock to the theaters this weekend. When the first Black Panther movie aired, it gained traction due to a dominantly Black cast. This contributed to the movie’s success as it represented the Black American community. Like Black Panther, “Wakanda Forever” will feature a predominantly Black cast.
“I think that what we’re going to see out of this film is that well over the indexing of the African American representation of consumers, and then over-indexing of Hispanic consumers into this,” said the National Association of Theatre Owners chairman, Rolando Rodriguez.
