'Black Panther' Will Rule Another Weekend
by EG
Marvel's Black Panther broke all kinds of records with its huge opening last weekend, and it's going to be the king of the box office again this weekend. There are three new movies hitting theaters, but none of them is going to be a seriously challenge to the superhero adventure.
Disney and Marvel Studios' Black Panther will continue to rule at the North American box office this weekend — the only question is by how much after debuting to a record-shattering $242.2 million over the four-day Presidents Day frame, including a three-day haul of $202 million.
The movie, directed by Ryan Coogler, is projected to earn anywhere from $90 million to north of $100 million in its second outing. All along, Black Panther has defied expectations.
On Tuesday, it took in $20.9 million domestically, the biggest Tuesday for any superhero movie and the biggest Tuesday for any movie outside of summer and the year-end holidays. On Wednesday, the pic grossed another $14.5 million, the biggest Wednesday for any title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe — The Avengers was the previous best with $13.6 million — and putting Black Panther's domestic total at $277.5 million as it races toward the $300 million mark in North America.
Globally, Black Panther will cross $500 million sometime today after just nine days in release (the movie's worldwide cume was $491.1 million through Wednesday). Also today, Disney will pass the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office just 52 days into the new year.
In North America, a trio of films goes up against the juggernaut this weekend: the year's first studio comedy, Game Night; the sci-fi epic Annihilation; and the YA film adaptation Every Day.
New Line's Game Night, starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams, is tracking to come in at No. 2 with $12 million-$14 million. Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the story follows a couple whose regular game night with friends suddenly turns into a real-life murder mystery. The cast also includes Kyle Chandler, Billy Magnussen, Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris and Kylie Bunbury.
Game Night, hoping to avoid the comedy curse that has plagued the box office over the past two years, is McAdams' first comedy since About Time in 2013.
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
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