Find someone who went to the movies last weekend, and there’s around a three in four chance they went to see Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
The latest instalment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe debuted to $9.4 million from 863 screens, or $10.6 million with previews.
That is the sixth best opening weekend of 2022 behind Thor: Love and Thunder, Jurassic World: Dominion, Top Gun Maverick, Dr Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Batman. It also puts it just shy of opening of the 2018 original, which landed at $10.5 million, or $11.6 million with previews (finishing at $40.8 million).
Wakanda Forever, again directed by Ryan Coogler, forms a tribute of sorts to the late Chadwick Boseman, who led the original and died suddenly in 2020 of colon cancer before production on the sequel could begin.
After Boseman’s death, Marvel chose not to recast Boseman’s role of T’Challa. Instead, plans for Wakanda Forever were refashioned, with the film following the leaders of Wakanda as they fight to protect their nation in the wake of King T’Challa’s death.
Globally, the Disney/Marvel film is tracking 5 per cent behind the opening of the original, bowing at $US180 million in North America, just ahead of projections, and $US150 million across 55 international markets, including Australia.
Numero data puts the top 20 titles up 92 per cent on the previous weekend, tallying $12.3 million. That is in no small portion due to Wakanda Forever, with no other title even cracking the $1 million mark.
That Wakanda Forever took up most of the oxygen is unsurprising; the prior weekend had been the second slowest of the year, and few distributors dared to put new offerings into the market against the anticipated Marvel title.
“Black Panther was clearly the number 1 film, albeit it doesn’t appear to be as front loaded as we expected and may end up having longer legs than other similar films,” Majestic Cinemas CEO Kieren Dell tells IF.
“Mrs Harris is continuing to provide good support everywhere for us, while Black Adam naturally tailed off but had some good results at some sites still despite being overshadowed this week.”
Wallis Cinemas programming manager David Simpson also saw a sizeable start for the Wakanda Forever, observing “given the lack of competition it should be our number one film for several weeks”.
Playing to similar audiences, Wakanda Forever hurt Black Adam, with the film dropping a steep 64 per cent in its fourth frame to $812,330. In total, the DC/Warner Bros. film, starring Dwayne Johnson, has generated $17 million.
Universal’s Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris continues to resonate with older and female audiences, drawing $751,269 in its third, a dip of 37 per cent, to advance $5.6 million. Simpson says the film is garnering repeat business for Wallis, something he considers “valuable at present” given how quiet the box office is.
There was quite a gulf between Mrs Harris and the next best performer, Paramount’s Smile, which made $202,693 in its seventh frame, moving to $8.2 million. Meanwhile One Piece Film: Red took a nosedive for Madman in its sophomore weekend, plummeting 73 per cent to $193,642, taking it to $1.1 million.
Despite continuing to play on 275 screens, strong reviews and Oscar buzz, The Woman King has not really been able to find its audience, tallying $134,858 in its third frame; an average of just $490 per screen. So far it has earned $1.3 million for Sony.
WB’s DC League of Super Pets remains in the top 10 after nine weekends at the BO, generating $129,759 to move to $18.4 million, while stablemate Don’t Worry Darling rang up $125,963 in its sixth, advancing to $7.3 million.
Uni’s Ticket to Paradise stands just shy of $16 million after nine weekends, adding another $78,061, while Disney’s Barbarian rounded out the top 10 with $62,626 to move to $1.1 million.
Of the Aussie titles in market, Kismet’s Wog Boys Forever has reached $2.9 million after six weekends, while Arcadia’s AACTA-nominated Sissy is on $74,519 after two.
Despite playing on just a handful of screens, documentary The Lost City of Melbourne remains a consistent performer, having made $279,998 across 11 weekends.
Greenhouse by Joost, which officially opens on Thursday, is performing decently for Madman in previews, having already made $62,206.
AACTA-nominated doco Franklin also remains in the top 50, with a tally of $281,661 after 10 weekends.