The Weekend Report

Black Panther devoured seventy percent or more of the marketplace, with a record-setting box office estimated at $192.2 million (all numbers reflect three-day portion of holiday weekend). Two films premiered nationally as counterprogrammers: animated Early Man wound up slotting seventh with $3.1 million, while faith-targeted biblical drama Samson earned $1.9 million.

Best of exclusive freshmen were black-comic The Party with $35,800 at a trio of dinner tables, and Russian foreign-language Oscar nominee Loveless, which grossed $27,600 from three investigations. Another wave of Indian imports included strong results for Telugu Awe of $478,000, as well as Punjabi Laavaan Phere with $139,000. Chinese movies capitalized on New Year celebrations. In North America, Detective Chinatown 2 led with a $670,000 tally, followed by Monster Hunt 2 that grossed $340,000, and Monkey King 3 trailing with $89,300. In China, Monster Hunt 2 opened to $190 million with Detective Chinatown 2 grossing $155 million and Monkey King 3 opening to $80 million.

Revenues topped $275 million for a 96% boost from last weekend. It was a 91% improvement from 2017 when the second weekend of The Lego Batman Movie led with $42.7 million and newcomer The Great Wall bowed with $21.5 million.

The amount of earnest media attention given to Black Panther is also superheroic, and the movie was up to the challenge with its cultural, gender and other resonances. It readily exceeded the record for a February release, previously held by Deadpool at $132 million, and ranks as the fifth-biggest opening of all time.

Black Panther exceeded industry expectations that marked it as high as $185 million and a studio conservative estimate of $175 million. Exit demos identified the audience as 55% male with 61% of viewers 25 and older. Unsurprisingly, a studio spokesman said its performance in key cities, as well as regionally, indicated a larger-than-typical African-American audience.

On the international front the picture opened in virtually all markets with China, Japan and Russia the only major territories held back. Studio estimates for its first overseas wave is $169 million with South Korea (even in the midst of the Olympics) and Great Britain in the forefront, respectively with $25.3 million and $24.8 million. The list of records by territory is staggering, especially among African nations.

Early Man’s audience was 51% male with 62% of viewers 25 and older. Statistics on families were unavailable.

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