When Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wrapped up the MCU's 2022 theatrical schedule, it set a new box office record. In addition to establishing Letitia Wright's Shuri as the next Black Panther following Chadwick Boseman's tragic passing, Wakanda Forever boosted Marvel Studios' illustrious box office history. Fans flocked to the theatres in droves to watch how the MCU's Phase 4 story concluded as Marvel put all of its effort into making this sequel the best it could be, giving it the largest budget ever for a movie with a Black lead. Black Panther 2 came in just behind Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness when examining the entire 2022 cinema landscape, and it almost made the top five highest-grossing films of the year.
The Wakandan sequel has now made a new imprint in the United States as female-led superhero films finally earn their rightful place in Hollywood, significantly reducing the scope of the discussion.
New Domestic Box Office Record Set by Black Panther 2
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is the highest-grossing female-led superhero film in U.S. box office history, according to Box Office Mojo, with $429,946,777 in domestic box office receipts. The previous record-holder, Wonder Woman (2017) from the DC Universe, was beaten by the MCU solo film Captain Marvel in 2019, which now holds the honour.
Below are the top eight female-led superhero films in domestic box office history:
1. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) - $429,946,777
2. Captain Marvel (2019) - $426,829,839
3. Wonder Woman (2017) - $412,845,172
4. Black Widow (2021) - $183,651,655
5. Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey (2020) - $84,158,461
6. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) - $65,845,974
7. Elektra (2005) - $24,409,722
8. Catwoman (2004) - $40,202,379
Black Panther 2 trails both Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman in terms of global box office receipts, while it has a chance to overtake the DC movie before its theatrical run is over:
1. Captain Marvel (2019): $1,128,462,972
2. Wonder Woman (2017): $822,854,286
3. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022): $805,249,637
4. Black Widow (2021): $379,751,655
5. Birds of Prey (2019): $205,322,941
The seven highest-grossing female-led films in history are listed below for context, with four recent Star Wars theatrical releases leading the way:
1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015): $936,662,225
2. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017): $620,181,382
3. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016): $533,539,991
4. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019): $515,202,542
5. Beauty and the Beast (2017): $504,481,165
6.Finding Dory (2016): $486,295,561
7. Frozen II (2019): $477,373,578
Female-led films are establishing new standards
Black Panther 2 contributed to the continuation of the MCU's winning record as it was just the third Marvel Studios film to include a female lead, and as Shuri assumed new roles within the MCU. Even though the main characters in the sequel worked together to advance the plot, Letitia Wright's protagonist was the centre of attention from beginning to end.
Even while Black Panther 2 didn't exactly achieve the same high objectives as its record-breaking predecessor, setting any kind of box office record is still a significant achievement, especially in the post-pandemic era when movie theatres are still struggling financially.
Also Read: MCU Can Now be Sued for Misleading Trailers
This is merely the most recent female-led Marvel Studios movie to hit theatres; Phase 5 will continue that trend with The Marvels and Thunderbolts in July 2023 and 2024, respectively. As the Multiverse Saga and subsequent projects advance, Shuri's future in the MCU appears to be set in stone. She will also play a significant part in 2025's Avengers: The Kang Dynasty.
In theatres now is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Early 2023 is when the Disney+ streaming of the film is anticipated to start.
Source: imbd