Black Panther box office: How does it compare to other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies?
Black Panther is in some rarefied air when it comes to Marvel Cinematic Universe three-day debuts, which isn’t entirely unexpected.
How much money has Black Panther made since Thursday night in the United States? Try an estimated $192 million, according to Box Office Mojo. For comparison, the 10th-place finisher on this week’s chart, Samson, made $1.972 million. Basically, Black Panther made 10 times as much money. But you’re not here for comparisons to biblical films. You’re here to talk the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its ability to make completely bonkers amounts of money.
But even with that in mind, Black Panther has made a completely ludicrous amount of money. In fact, in its first three (and change, thanks to preview screenings on Thursday night) days, it’s surpassed every other MCU movie in their opening save one. As that one is The Avengers, it’s safe to say that Black Panther has shown itself to be one of Marvel’s strongest movies both critically and financially.
Just half of the MCU movies — Box Office Mojo, linked above, counts The Incredible Hulk for a count of 18 — have made over $100 million to start off a domestic run. Of that half, only 5 have made $150 million or more. Aside from Black Panther and The Avengers, the other three are Avengers: Age of Ultron, Captain America: Civil War and Iron Man 3. Notice something about those movies? They’re all sequels or, in the case of the first Avengers, the first huge superhero team-up film in a universe that had been rocking for four years at that point.
Black Panther is not a sequel. It isn’t a team-up movie. But what it isn’t is an origin story, either. T’Challa has been the Black Panther for quite some time already in real-world time. Between this film and Spider-Man: Homecoming, Marvel has proven it can introduce characters in major films, then give them their own individual movies to reap the dividends. After all, Homecoming still has a spot in the top 10.
But it also proves that the point I made late last week about Marvel now needing to step up further when it comes to putting different heroes on the screen is stronger than ever. This is the kind of bottom line that proves there’s money to be made here. Cynical though it may be, that’s a powerful argument for the companies that make these movies, as I stated then, when the estimates were just a paltry $165 million.
Next: 5 heroines who need MCU movies
What will be key to keep an eye on now is the second weekend.