There’s no way to underplay just how much money Marvel’s latest blockbuster is making at this moment. By the end of today,Black Pantherwill likely cross the $400 million mark domestically and take in some $304 million internationally, adding up to $704 million globally. To put that in perspective,Captain America: Civil Warmade $408 million from its total domestic run, which lasted most of the 2016 summer season. It will have taken a little over two weeks forBlack Pantherto make that up. By the time next weekend ends, it’s entirely possible thatRyan Coogler’s smash hit will be the second most lucrative Marvel movie domestically in the history of the MCU behindThe Avengers. In fact,Joss Whedon’s original is the only other MCU title to break the $100 million barrier in its second weekend, andBlack Pantherbroke that record this weekend as well.
That such a high-grossing movie is also one of the most substantial movies that will likely be released this year is worth celebrating. In fact, the only downside toBlack Panther’s boundless ascension is that it has rendered all other new releases moot. The biggest new release of the weekend,Game Night, brought in $16.6 million to land at second whereasAnnihilation,Alex Garland’s follow-up toEx Machina, took fourth with $11 million flat. Both movies are worth seeing and Garland’s movie is uniquely terrifying and enveloping in its rambunctious world-building. Still,Annihilationwasn’t able to get enough audiences to beat out the oddly controversialPeter Rabbit, which came in at third with $12.5 million.
That just leavesFifty Shades Freedin fifth with $6.9 million, pushing the domestic gross toward $90 million in its third frame. The arrival of the spy epicRed SparrowandEli Roth’sDeath Wishremake next weekend suggests that this will likely be the last weekend thatFifty Shadesis in the top five. The same can essentially be said forAnnihilation. It’s sad to see a worthwhile movie essentially plowed over by either diversion or disinterest but such is the way of the beast that is the box office. And when stacked up against a groundbreaker likeBlack Panthermaking essentially every other MCU and DCEU title look like a messy child’s painting, the loss in popularity for Garland’s film feels miniscule.
Here’s your estimated top five for the weekend:
Weekend Domestic BO
Total Domestic BO
1. ‘Black Panther’
$108,046,000
$400,000,422
2. ’Game Night’
$16,600,000
3. ‘Peter Rabbit’
$12,545,000
$71,290,702
4. ‘Annihilation’
$11,000,000
5. ‘Fifty Shades Freed’
$6,915,000
$89,560,780
