Black Panther continues to break barriers and overcome milestones on and off the screen. It surpassed the billion-dollar mark in its 28th day of release making it the highest-fastest grossing superhero movie of all time. It is globally the top-grossing motion picture by a black director (Ryan Coogler) with a primarily black cast and production crew. Black Panther breaks records on screen as well as on social media it has become the most tweeted about film in history. With hashtags such as #WakandaWednesday and #WhatBlackPantherMeansToMe. Twitter addressed Black Panther was mentioned on the outlet over 35 million times. This is not just a movie about a black superhero; it has launched a movement. Moviegoers dress in African tribal prints for the Wakandan experience, and athletes have adopted the Wakandan salute and use it frequently as a term of black excellence, and positive endearment.
Black Panther co-star Michael B. Jordan who plays Eric Killmonger, told CNN the movie is “super important” and “impactful for our culture moving forward. It’s humbling and very surreal that this is a major introduction, almost a reintroduction of black fantasy, sci-fi, mythology, for the generation growing up,” Jordan said. “I can’t wait for Halloween to see everyone dressing up as the Dora Milaje [the female special forces in the film].”
Actor Chad Bosewick who plays T’Challa, King of the fictional African world of Wakanda gave this statement during an interview with CNN: “Having studied at Howard and having various experiences within our culture, I knew it was an opportunity to pull from real things, real achievements, real African culture and place it in this movie to make it real,” Boseman said. “If anybody believes that Africa didn’t have an empire, didn’t have architecture, didn’t have art, didn’t have science, you see it in this movie.”
By Chloe Bailey