When we (Nigerians) said we’re storming the cinema with our ‘asoebis’ when Black Panther hits the cinema, they thought it was a joke!
Marvel’s Black Panther is shaping up to be a huge box office success as tickets of the movie went on sale on Monday and following the new trailer (watch below), it has already been sold out far more than all of the previous MCU movie advance ticket sales in just 24hrs.
The previous record was held by the Captain America: Civil War and since the King of Wakanda (which me and my friends are still arguing if Wakanda is Lagos or not ?) whipped the ass of US’s golden boy, Captain America in his last MCU appearance, this news of another defeat was imminent.
Captain America: Civil War kicked off the opening of summer 2016 during the first weekend of May with $179M.
Fandango managing editor Erik Davis made the announcement on Twitter:
Big news this morning – #BlackPanther sold more advance tickets on @Fandango in its first 24 hours than any other MCU movie, besting previous record holder Captain America: Civil War. Long live the King! pic.twitter.com/JL1c28AgWm
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) January 10, 2018
Another actor that featured in the movie, Lupita Nyong’o also shared her shock that advance tickets for her new film Black Panther sold out in 15 minutes. ‘Aunty’ posted a video on twitter in which she told of her struggle to buy tickets for the film’s opening night in February.
In the clip, she tells fans: “So, it’s January 9 and yesterday, around 10.30, the Black Panther tickets went on sale, and I put it on my social media, I was so excited. And then it occurred to me, I should get tickets too so that I can be there when the movie hits theatres, and I can experience it with everybody. Fifteen minutes later, I kid you not, 15 minutes later I was trying to purchase tickets and they are sold out. Sold out! It told me there was an error, and I tried again and still the same error, and every time I tried (there were) fewer seats, like there were no seats.”
She added: “I was unable to buy tickets to see Black Panther on opening night. That’s insane – 15 minutes! Wow.”
@THR says @theblackpanther is @MarvelStudios best-selling movie in terms of presales after JUST 24 HOURS! Don’t I know it: I even tried!!!! #Throwback to a video I made last night. pic.twitter.com/aoJcdaqfhi
— Lupita Nyong'o (@Lupita_Nyongo) January 10, 2018
Deadline is reporting that non-Disney estimates say that Black Panther will have a $80-$85 million opening, and may possibly hit the $100 million-plus mark. I know in my heart that “my King” movie would do much better than that. C’mon Captain America: Civil War had a $179 million opening in 2016, and if by the presales numbers we can say Black Panther is about to have a big opening as Civil War. Don’t even joke with us, because am sure our “asoebi” is ready, am about to pick mine from the tailor.
In a recent Fandango survey of more than 8K moviegoers, “My King”, Black Panther was voted as one of the year’s top two most anticipated movies, ranking second only to Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War. The King himself Chadwick Boseman was also voted by the fans as the most anticipated comic book hero in a standalone movie.
Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” follows T’Challa who, after the death of his father, the King of Wakanda, returns home to the isolated, technologically advanced African nation to succeed to the throne and take his rightful place as king. But when a powerful old enemy reappears, T’Challa’s mettle as king—and Black Panther—is tested when he is drawn into a formidable conflict that puts the fate of Wakanda and the entire world at risk. Faced with treachery and danger, the young king must rally his allies and release the full power of Black Panther to defeat his foes and secure the safety of his people and their way of life.
Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, with Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and, returning from Avengers: Age of Ultron, Andy Serkis.
The movie will be released in theaters on February 16th, 2018.