Creaming the Competition: Black Panther, With $192M

Already a much-celebrated pop culture milestone, Black Panther is now a record-setting smash at the box office, too. Studio estimates Sunday say the Marvel superhero film blew past expectations, with $192 million in North American ticket sales over the weekend, the AP reports. That makes Black Panther the fifth-biggest opening weekend ever, not accounting for inflation. It's also the highest-grossing February opening weekend. Ryan Coogler's film, which cost about $200 million to make, is the most big-budget, largely black ensemble film in years and among the few to be centered on a black superhero. The strong opening suggests Black Panther will easily set a box-office record for films directed by a black filmmaker. The movie has been hugely acclaimed, with a 97% fresh rating (100% from top critics) from Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences agreed, giving it an A-plus CinemaScore. (More box office stories.)