Black Panther far exceeded expectations at both the domestic and worldwide box offices and the fact it's broken so many records with a lead character who is black has led many to proclaim that the Marvel Studios movie has forever "changed" Hollywood. There's definitely some weight to that argument but one person who isn't quite convinced is Captain Marvel star Samuel L. Jackson.
During a recent interview, the actor revealed that he doesn't believe Black Panther was actually the watershed moment many made it out to be and that's because at it's core, it's an action-adventure.
"I’m not positive that Black Panther is going to change the dynamic of black stories being told in Hollywood and being accepted all over the world,” he says. “It’s an action-adventure story and a lot of people like those, and they’ll work all over the world forever because everybody loves a hero. But not everybody loves a drama about somebody’s life experience – that’s why awards have a separate category for foreign films; they are perceived as being different. Once we stop perceiving them as different and just see them as good films and they get recognized in the same category, we’ll be laying markers."
Black Panther may feature a predominantly black cast and plenty of black talent behind the camera but it is an action-adventure movie and perhaps most importantly, a Marvel Studios movie. As a result, it was always going to find a large audience so you can appreciate why Jackson feels the way he does.
What do you guys think? As always, be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments section.