In a post-pandemic world, superhero movies seem to be the sole cinematic pieces that can pull the audience to theatres. Marvel's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever pretty much reaffirms this as it's reigning over the North American box office. The superhero sequel earned $84 million from 4,396 locations on its opening day, reports Variety. Those figures includes $28 million in Thursday previews, which marked the 15th-highest preview gross in history and bested the first Black Panther movie's figure by $3 million. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – Dominique Thorne Reveals Her Ironheart Suit in Letitia Wright’s Marvel Movie Weighed Over 50 Pounds.

It is also the second biggest opening day of the year, behind the $90.4 million earned by fellow Marvel Cinematic Universe entry Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. According to Variety, estimates heading into the weekend suggested Wakanda Forever could net a gross between $185 million and $200 million in its opening, though some competitors are now projecting that the film will fall shy of that range. Black Panther Wakanda Forever Ending Explained: Decoding the Climax and Post-Credits Scene of Letitia Wright’s Marvel Film and How Namor Might Return to the MCU! (SPOILER ALERT).

Doctor Strange 2 has remained the biggest opening weekend of the year since it debuted with $187 million in May. Whether the 'Black Panther' sequel can surpass it by Monday, Marvel is once again in competition with itself for box office superlatives.

Variety further states that the arrival of the Black Panther sequel represents a box office surge for a theatrical landscape that has been largely bereft of high-profile releases since the summer. To put things in perspective, 'Wakanda Forever' will be the first movie since July's 'Thor: Love and Thunder' to open above $100 million. Even further, although the Warner Bros. release Black Adam has drawn a substantial audience in recent weeks, Wakanda Forever looks to outgross the DC entry within its first three days of release. That's how big a splash the film is making.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 13, 2022 01:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).