Black Panther: Here is a list of every major box office record

In the weeks leading up to the release of Marvel’s Black Panther, projections went from a $80-90 million opening a month from release to over $180 million a few days before the movie was unleashed. It ended up grossing $201 million (Rs 1300 crore) in its opening weekend in the United States ($235 million in the extended four day weekend), surpassing even the most bullish of predictions, and enough to place it as the fifth largest opening weekend in history.

It would have been a tremendous achievement for any film, let alone the first blockbuster to feature a predominantly black cast.
Here is the list of records the film broke

Biggest February weekend: The previous record holder was 2016’s Deadpool, with an opening weekend gross of $132 million (Rs 855 crore) in three days and $152 million (Rs 876 crore) in the Presidents’ Day weekend.

Biggest non-sequel opening weekend: The previous record holder - if you don’t include The Avengers, which can be seen as a sequel to Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor - was The Hunger Games’ $152 million (Rs 876 crore) opening in 2012.

Biggest solo superhero opening: The previous champ was Iron Man 3, with a $174 million (Rs 1129 crore) opening in 2013. That film got a huge bump thanks to The Avengers, and it was eclipsed by Captain America: Civil War’s $179 million (Rs 1160 crore) opening in 2016.

Biggest long holiday opening: Black Panther’s $235 million (Rs 1523 crore) four-day Presidents’ Day bow was way ahead of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen’s $180 million (Rs 1167 crore) six-day Independence Day opening in 2009.

Biggest opening weekend for a black director: F Gary Gray previously held the top spot for his $98.8 million (Rs 640 crore) opening for The Fate of the Furious. In fact, Ryan Coogler’s opening weekend for Black Panther is the highest for any non-white director, surpassing James Wan’s $147 million (Rs 953 crore) for Furious 7 in 2016. Black Panther has already become the highest grossing film by a black filmmaker in just five days of release (in the US).

Biggest solo superhero debut opening in India: Black Panther’s Rs 24 crore gross was enough to make it the biggest opening for a solo superhero movie debut in India, and the biggest opening for a Hollywood movie in 2018. The film has grossed Rs 29 crore in four days in India.