Superhero blockbuster Black Panther’s record-breaking opening weekend has taken it to the top of the U.K. box office.
The latest Marvel movie has made $24.8 million since it opened last Tuesday (13Feb18), including $14.7 million over the weekend – the highest ever U.K. three-day opening figure in February.
Black Panther, the first major studio superhero film to feature a predominantly black cast, also had the second biggest opening week of any Marvel film, behind The Avengers: Age of Ultron’s $25.4 million. The $24.8 million figure is also more than the recent Justice League superhero film earned in its entire run in U.K. cinemas.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, the ruler of an isolated African nation whose alter ego is the Black Panther, Lupita Nyong’o as his warrior love interest Nakia, and Michael B. Jordan as T’Challa’s nemesis Erik Killmonger.
Speaking to WENN about the movie’s early success, Andy Serkis, who plays villain Ulysses Klaue in the flick, said: “I don’t think I’ve ever been involved in a movie that’s been so highly anticipated and I’ve been involved in quite a few big movies, but there was something very special about this.”
Down to two is the third installment in the franchise based on E.L. James‘ erotic novels, Fifty Shades Freed, with $3.8 million, while Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar favorite The Shape Of Water is at three with $3.4 million.
Blockbuster movie musical The Greatest Showman falls to four with earnings of $2.7 million, while Disney/Pixar’s latest animation Coco rounds out the top five with $2 million.
