Black Panther has risen from an already great $90 Million domestic opening weekend up to $120 Million. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it still looks like the film will be able to surpass Doctor Strange‘s $85 Million opening with estimates ranging between $100 to $120 million. This does not exclude the possibility of the film passing that benchmark and maybe even rivaling Deadpool‘s $132 million opening from 2016.

Thor: Ragnarok has proven that with its release as a strong Social Media buzz and critical reception had elevated the film well beyond its original predictions to become quite a powerhouse during its opening weekend going beyond its initial $100 million opening. One thing is for sure, Black Panther is going to be a powerhouse this year, especially going by a tweet of Fandango’s Managing Editor Erik Davis.

Early predictions may place Black Panther‘s opening below Captain America: Civil War but it is no small feat to surpass that film’s ticket sales. This milestone proved that T’Challa’s upcoming film may be one of Marvel Studios most talked about films. The Social Buzz especially surrounds the social relevancy the film holds for many African-Americans. Campaigns have been started to help ensure that children of color are given the opportunity to see the film in theatres, such as one GoFundMe campaign in Harlem that caught international attention.

In addition, T’Challa made his debut in Civil War, which means that a large chunk of the general audience has already been introduced to the character. People already know the basics surrounding the character and there is no necessity to tell an origin story about how he becomes the Black Panther. One aspect of the “superhero fatigue” discussion was that people are getting tired of origin stories, as they tend to repeat certain story beats, such as critics pointing towards Strange‘s strong similarities to the opening sequence of Batman Begins.

The trailers have established that this is not a story about T’Challa becoming the Black Panther but rather a story about him learning his place as king of Wakanda. Not only is this an intriguing storyline that builds upon a much more serious tone, which also makes the film stand out even more amongst its peers, but it highlights that it is focusing on building upon the events of Civil War. This was one aspect that helped boost Spider-Man: Homecoming, even after some people worried that it would retread familiar territory since it was the third reboot of the character.

What are your thoughts on the matter? How high do you think the film’s opening weekend will go?

Source: The Hollywood Reporter, CNN

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