Well, it looks like Marvel Studios has another blockbuster hit on its hands this February, with Deadline revealing that the Chadwick Boseman-headlined Black Panther is outperforming Captain America: Civil War in presales at Fandango after tickets went up for sale on Monday night. In fact, it performed better than any other MCU movie in its first 24 hours.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Black Panther will top Civil War’s domestic opening of $179.2 million, as advance ticket sales aren’t particularly the best indicator as to how a movie will perform in its first weekend. Early predictions have pointed to a debut of around $90 million, but given that it is opening on a four-day President’s Day holiday weekend, there’s now some speculation that it could best Deadpool ($132.4 million) for the biggest February opening ever.
In a previous Fandango poll, Black Panther was named as the second most anticipated movie of the year behind Avengers: Infinity War, and when you throw Ant-Man and the Wasp into the mix, it looks like 2018 is going to be huge for the MCU.
SEE ALSO: Extended TV spot and IMAX featurette for Marvel’s Black Panther
After the events of Captain America: Civil War, King T’Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country’s new leader. However, T’Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne from factions within his own country. When two foes conspire to destroy Wakanda, the hero known as Black Panther must team up with C.I.A. agent Everett K. Ross and members of the Dora Milaje, Wakandan special forces, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.
Black Panther sees Ryan Coogler (Creed) directing Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa alongside Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Winston Duke as M’Baku, Forest Whitaker as Zuri, Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Florence Kasumba as Ayo, Martin Freeman as Everett Ross, Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue, Letitia Wright as Shuri and Nabiyah Be as Nightshade. The film is set for release on February 12th in the UK and on February 16th in the States.
