Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has already raced past $45 million in advance U.S. box office ticket sales, and there are several days to go before the highly anticipated Marvel Studios sequel officially opens in roughly 4,300 cinemas domestically.
On Wednesday, Wakanda Forever begins its international rollout on its way to opening everywhere by the weekend (excluding China and Russia). Projections show the tentpole opening to at least $175 million domestically — some exhibitors are suggesting $185 million to $200 million — and anywhere from $155 million to $195 million at the international box office.
As of Sunday, Wakanda Forever‘s advance ticket sales in the U.S. stood at $45 million, which is more than Thor: Love and Thunder but behind the (frontloaded) Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, according to Disney insiders. By Friday, advance ticket sales for the Wakanda Forever number could be in the $60 million-$65 million range, which would rank above the $55 million collected by the first Black Panther.
Among superhero movies released in the pandemic era, Sony and Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home opened to $260.1 million in December 2021. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opened to $187.4 million in early May of this year, while Thor: Love and Thunder scored $144.2 million in July (both were from Marvel/Disney). In March 2022, DC and Warner Bros.’ The Batman flew to $134 million in its launch. More recently, DC’s Black Adam, starring Dwayne Johnson in his first live-action superhero role, opened to a more subdued $67 million domestically.
