Disney’s massively-anticipated superhero sequelBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverdebuted at the top of the box office, with $84 million on Friday (including $28 million from Thursday previews). That’s the tenth-biggest opening day ever, and the second-biggest of 2022, behind fellow Marvel sequelDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness($90 million). The film is on course to hit at least $175 million in its first weekend, which will put it behind the first film’s $202 million three-day opening back in 2018. But the higher end of projections are puttingWakanda Forever’s three-day opening at $185 million.
The firstBlack Pantherconcluded its run with an astounding $700 million domestic haul — the sixth-biggest tally of all time. It finished with $1.3 billion globally, against a reported budget of $200 million. Last year’sSpider-Man: No Way Homemade $260 million in its opening weekend, but when it comes to the MCU’s internal rankings,Wakanda Forever’s projected three-day opening is in the range ofDoctor Strange 2, which made $187 million in its first weekend back in May,Captain America: Civil War($179 million) andIron Man 3($174 million). Other top weekend debuts of 2022 includeJurassic WorldDominion($145 million),Thor: Love and Thunder($144 million),The Batman($134 million) andTop Gun: Maverick($126 million).
Opening day audiences gaveWakanda Forevera strong A CinemaScore (the firstBlack Pantherreceived an A-). Production of the film, which explores themes of grief and family in the wake of King T’Challa’s death, was greatly impacted by the tragic passing of starChadwick Boseman.He died of cancer in 2020, after privately battling the illness for four years, and the film is very much designed as a tribute to both Boseman and T’Challa.
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After topping the box office for three weekends in a row, rival DC’sBlack Adamslipped to the number two spot, with $2.7 million on Friday. The film, starringDwayne Johnsonin a role that he has coveted for over a decade, is estimated to make $10 million in its fourth weekend, taking its running domestic total to $152 million.Black Adamcost a massive $195 million to produce, and is still a long way away from being counted as an outright hit.
Ticket to Paradise, the romantic-comedy starringJulia RobertsandGeorge Clooney, took the third spot with $2.1 million on its fourth Friday. The film is projected to finish the weekend with $6.3 million, pushing its running domestic total to over $56 million. After being rolled out internationally a couple of week’s prior to its stateside debut,Ticket to Paradisehas made nearly $150 million worldwide.
The fourth and fifth spots were claimed by two films that targeted polar opposite audiences. Sony’s kid-friendly musicalLyle, Lyle, Crocodilepicked up $1.12 million on its sixth Friday, for an estimated $3 million weekend. Paramount’s horror hitSmileadded $800,000 on its seventh Friday, pushing its running domestic total to over $102 million with a projected $2.2 million weekend finish. Elsewhere,Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical dramaThe Fabelmansdebuted in four theaters, and made $60,000.
Wakanda Foreveris expected to dominate the box office until Disney’s ownAvatar: The Way of the Watersplashes down next month. You can watch our interview withWakanda ForeverdirectorRyan Cooglerhere, and stay tuned to Collider for updates.
