Wakanda Forever’s Box Office Compared To Black Panther: Will It Beat It?

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever rounds out the MCU’s Phase 4 in successful fashion, leading many to wonder how its box office compares to the highly successful Black Panther of 2018. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever had the unenviable task of continuing Black Panther’s legacy after the tragic passing of Chadwick Boseman. Returning writer-director Ryan Coogler seems to have done this with the overall positive reception to the sequel, with that reception transferring into the film’s successful opening weekend at the worldwide box office.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s opening weekend was a resounding success, earning $180 million in the United States and Canada. The film also pulled in $150 million dollars in other territories, for a total opening weekend haul of $330 million. The first Black Panther’s box office, also a massive hit for Marvel Studios, saw an opening weekend worldwide haul of $426 million, though taking into account an extra day for its release on a Presidents’ Day weekend and a release in China which Wakanda Forever does not have. This means that, while Wakanda Forever did not quite match up to its predecessor’s opening weekend, it was still a huge success for Marvel Studios.

Will Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s Box Office Beat Black Panther?

Wakanda Forever’s Box Office Compared To Black Panther: Will It Beat It?

This begs whether Black Panther: Wakanda Forever can ultimately defeat its predecessor in terms of box office receipts. While its opening weekend fell short of the original, Wakanda Forever could still beat Black Panther’s overall box office total, though it is unlikely. The first Black Panther ended up grossing a total of over $1.3 billion worldwide, becoming only the fifth MCU film to cross the $1 billion mark. One of the main reasons for this was Black Panther’s lack of competition and longevity at the box office, which was the first film since Avatar to hold the top spot at the box office for five consecutive weekends.

Also, given the very strong word of mouth Wakanda Forever is receiving, there is a high chance its second weekend will be successful also, if not on the same level. Given how the only other major release left in 2022 is Avatar: The Way of Water, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will be largely unchallenged for over a month after its released. While all of this bodes well for the film, it is still unlikely to reach the $1.3 billion-plus total of Black Panther.

How Much Could Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Make At The Box Office?

Black Panther Wakanda Forever Box Office Success

In terms of how much the MCU’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever could make at the box office on its own merits, without comparing it to the first film, it is highly likely to be the 11th MCU film to reach $1 billion dollars. All the factors listed above only go to provide evidence of the film’s chances of reaching the milestone. Also, given the more positive reception to the film than other MCU films of 2022 like Doctor Strange 2 and Thor 4 (alongside the former earning $950 million), it is likely that Black Panther: Wakanda Forever will continue to see the benefits of this reception in its box office and earn more, hopefully cruising past the $1 billion milestone at the worldwide box office.

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