21 pop culture moments from 2018 we’re celebrating
By Amy Woolsey
Marvel Studios’ BLACK PANTHER
T’Challa/Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman)
Photo: Matt Kennedy
©Marvel Studios 2018
Black Panther breaks records
To everyone except perhaps Hollywood executives, it came as no surprise that Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther made money at the box office. The surprise was how much money it made.
Where do we begin? Domestically, the Marvel superhero movie grossed more than $700 million, which, not adjusting for inflation, makes it the third highest-grossing film of all time, below only Avatar and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Add international returns, and its total box office gross comes out to a whopping $1.35 billion. On the all-time worldwide box office chart, it ranks ninth. It’s the most financially successful movie ever made by a black director. Wikipedia has an entire page dedicated to Black Panther’s box office achievements.
This isn’t a Jurassic World situation either (i.e. a box office hit that has no discernible impact on culture at large). In addition to receiving overwhelmingly enthusiastic reviews, Black Panther prompted a flurry of essays dissecting its ideology, racial politics, and historical resonance; even the critical ones serve as a tacit acknowledgement of the movie’s power and depth, treating it as a work of art worthy of scrutiny. As of now, it remains the strongest contender for a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars of any superhero movie since The Dark Knight.
Maybe it’s odd to applaud the success of a superhero movie when superhero movies threaten to consume cinema. But, like Patty Jenkins’s Wonder Woman, Black Panther is more than the latest entry in a mega-franchise: it’s a statement, affirming the value not only of diverse filmmaking but of distinctive filmmaking. If Hollywood must continue to churn out stories about people with special powers saving the world, we can only hope they have this much imagination, insight, and soul. Ryan Coogler forever.