'Black Panther,' Already A Cultural Moment, Is About To Shatter Movie Business Assumptions

February 15, 2018

The fictional African land of Wakanda, which outsiders wrongly assume to be a Third World country, is the most technologically advanced nation on Earth in the Marvel comic book universe. This weekend, the new film about Wakanda's protector, Black Panther, is also poised to destroy long-held assumptions about the movie business.

All signs say Marvel Studios' "Black Panther," being released Thursday evening by Walt Disney Co., is having a cultural moment fueled by massive pent-up demand for what is expected to be the first global superhero blockbuster to feature a mostly black cast and an African American director.

The $200-million film — directed by Ryan Coogler ("Creed") and starring Chadwick Boseman as the titular hero — is expected to gross at least $150 million in the United States and Canada through Monday, according to people who have reviewed audience surveys, putting it on track to become one of Marvel Studios' most valuable franchises.

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