Black Panther: Wakanda Forever scored the tenth-highest opening day of all time yesterday with a massive $84 million, but exactly how high can it go this weekend?
That's a question everyone is asking today, and we won't know for sure until Monday morning. The current estimate points to the Black Panther sequel grossing somewhere between $175 million - $185 million this weekend, a figure that would give it the second-highest opening weekend of 2022 behind only Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
However, as Deadline notes, there are those who believe the sequel could soar as high as $190 million. Either way, this is a great result for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and proof the MCU remains Hollywood's biggest draw.
Veterans Day is causing some uncertainty seeing as it fell on a Friday, and all signs currently point to the sequel landing somewhere in that $180 million - $185 million range. Expecting this movie to top 2018's Black Panther was always a little unrealistic, especially when you look at how box office takings in general have fallen since the pandemic.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever isn't receiving the same kind of Oscar buzz as its predecessor, though Angela Bassett's performance is likely to land her a "Best Supporting Actress" nod next year.
"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ranks among Marvel Studios' best movies, and is an emotional, uplifting, tour de force of a blockbuster," we said in our latest review of the movie. "Letitia Wright delivers a powerhouse performance, while Angela Bassett’s majestic work will leave you reeling."
As always, word of mouth will be crucial for the movie's success in the weeks ahead, but the response from fans has been extremely positive so far. The current Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, for example, is a stellar 95%, putting Black Panther: Wakanda Forever up there with the MCU's best titles.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now playing in theaters. Watch an action-packed new TV spot below.