Black panther: Wakanda forever devastates Box office upon its initial release

 "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" devastates the box office upon its initial release.

According to numbers released Sunday by trade firm Exhibitor Relations, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," the sequel to the Afro-futuristic Marvel picture that tanked in 2018, dominated the North American box office in its debut weekend in theatres.

According to Box Office Mojo, the Marvel blockbuster is the 13th highest-grossing film in history, with an estimated $180 million earnings between Friday and Sunday in the United States and Canada. Internationally, the picture grossed an additional $150 million.

"It's a terrific release," said Franchise Entertainment Research's David Gross, "particularly for a mid-November release."

Audiences and exhibitors had been in a box-office slump since the conclusion of the summer season and the drop in the number of big-budget blockbusters, therefore "Wakanda Forever" was eagerly awaited.

With $84 million on opening day, including $28 million for Thursday previews, the picture started off strong, somewhat more robust than the first feature.

"Some may have hoped for $200 million like the first film, but it's solid," said Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "This is the kind of film that theatres desperately need to draw audiences."

"Wakanda Forever" offers a touching tribute to Chadwick Boseman, the original "Black Panther" hero, who died of colon cancer at the age of 43 in 2020.

In flashbacks, the actor appears as T'Challa, the fictitious African kingdom of Wakanda's ruler.

Following T'Challa's death, Wakanda finds itself at conflict with world powers, including an undersea nation, and fighting for its independence.

T'Challa's sister Shuri is played by Letitia Wright, Queen Ramonda is played by Angela Bassett, and Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, and Winston Duke also star.

The 2018 blockbuster "Black Panther," the first starring a black superhero, became a cultural phenomenon, grossing more than 1.3 billion dollars and earning an Oscar nomination for Best Picture along the way.