If the Los Angeles Times is any indication, there are only two short weeks standing between now and the moment when Marvel lifts its review embargo for Black Panther.
According to Jen Yamato, long-form reviews will begin rolling out on Tuesday, February 6th (9 am PT/12pm ET), while social media coverage is expected online a little earlier – Monday, January 9th at 10 pm PT (Tuesday, January 10th at 1 am for those on the East Coast).
It’s been a long time coming, but Marvel is finally ready to unleash its first mainstream black superhero – Blade notwithstanding – and the excitement is palpable. Not only has Black Panther been tipped for a record-setting weekend at the domestic box office, but the Ryan Coogler-directed standalone pic has also been testing extremely well. Hell, Marvel is said to have drafted up tentative plans for a direct sequel, one which will presumably take place long after Infinity War and its untitled follow-up, Avengers 4.
But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s take a moment to bask in the pre-release buzz. A trip to Wakanda is on the cards, and we simply can’t wait to delve deep into T’Challa’s isolated, ultra-futuristic homeland. It’s the world’s most advanced nation, so it’s no wonder that Chadwick Boseman’s titular king descends on South Korea with a whole arsenal of superpowered bells and whistles at his disposal.
Here’s confirmation of that timeline, courtesy of Yamato:
The BLACK PANTHER screening invites have arrived 👀 check those inboxes
Social media embargo: Monday January 29, 10pm PT
Full reviews embargoed for Tuesday Feb. 6, 9am PT
— jen yamato (@jenyamato) January 23, 2018
Black Panther has been scheduled for a US release on February 16th, and it may well ship viewers off to outer space. Elsewhere, Marvel’s hard-wired marketing machine is operating at full tilt as the company prepares to unveil the James Bond of the MCU.
