Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is ripping through the quiet Fall box office and reinvigorated the theatrical audience.
The sequel brings back everyone except Chadwick Boseman, who passed away from cancer in 2020.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever serves as both a tribute to the late and great actor as well as a testament to moving forward amidst grief for both the audience and the crew.
It seems the audience has responded well to the film in terms of box-office numbers and a singular, captivating performance by Angela Bassett.
The first Black Panther film Hulk-smashed February records in 2018 with an opening weekend of over $200 million.
Here is how the sequel panned out over the November weekend.
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever opening weekend box-office
According to Deadline, the sequel earned a currently estimated $180 million domestically for its three-day weekend. While this might be a slight dip from the previous entry, it is still a record-breaker for November releases.
Not bad for a film that had fans demanding a recast of the main character.
The original record holder went to Hunger Games: Catching Fire for nearly a decade.
Additionally, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has grossed $330 million globally for its three-day total.
So, needless to say, Disney and Marvel are not upset by any means. For a sequel that lost its headliner star, this is a win for the studio.
This is not the only reason Marvel has to celebrate. Since the film’s release, the online fandom has been banging the drum for Angela Bassett to get an Oscar nomination.
The internet demands Angela Bassett get an Oscar nomination
The movie carries a lot of emotional weight and does not shy away from the pain of losing Chadwick Boseman.
This is even felt through the performances, especially Letitia Wright, who plays T’Challa’s sister Shuri.
But the powerhouse of the entire film is Bassett as Queen Ramonda. She has one scene in the movie that brings chills and tears simultaneously. And to be frank, she is long overdue to be recognized for the amazing talent she has always been.
Her last nomination was in 1993 as Tina Turner in the heartbreaking film about abuse, What’s Love Got To Do With It.
And well, the internet demands for their Queen to be honored.
One such user says, “The campaign for Angela Bassett’s Oscar begins now,” while another humorously addressed her arms, writing, “Angela Bassett’s arms deserve an Oscar by the way. What a Queen and powerful performance.”
One reactor rooted for both Angela and Okoye actress Danai Gurira to receive Oscars.
The trend continued as some Twitter users spoke about a certain sequence in the film.
The actress received heaps of praise for her powerhouse performance.
What can be said is the trend for this Oscar campaign is rightfully earned.
Angela Bassett propels the emotion of the film to new heights when she enters the screen. And her execution is commanding as well as heartbreaking.
As everyone has already stated, “Give the Queen her flowers.”
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is now in theaters.