Director Ryan Coogler is on the rise.
Following the back-to-back success of Fruitvale Station and Creed – two hard-hitting dramas featuring Michael B. Jordan (Fantastic Four), who’s now collaborated with Coogler a third time in order to play the villainous Erik Killmonger – the filmmaker has taken the plunge into Hollywood’s thriving comic book movie scene. And it looks like his first venture in the genre will be one to remember.
That’s right, Black Panther has generated a metric ton of buzz ahead of its theatrical debut next month and unsurprisingly, it’ll be 2018’s biggest opening thus far, while also being the first major tentpole of the year. And what a tentpole it’s shaping up to be. Not that we had any doubt, mind you, but it’s now confirmed that Marvel’s got another mega hit on their hands as the first wave of reactions have surfaced (full reviews are still under embargo until next week) and as expected, they’re absolutely glowing.
Here’s a sample of what the critics are saying so far:
https://twitter.com/jtyboone/status/958218249400868865
BLACK PANTHER is incredible, kinetic, purposeful. A superhero movie about why representation & identity matters, and how tragic it is when those things are denied to people. The 1st MCU movie about something real; Michael B. Jordan’s Killmonger had me weeping and he’s the VILLAIN
— jen yamato (@jenyamato) January 30, 2018
#BlackPanther is simply awesome. Extremely bold and as touching as it is thrilling, it boasts GOT-style intrigue, crazy innovative action and a deep bench of memorable characters. Top 5 all-time Marvel movie, easy. More later. pic.twitter.com/mmz8Nuf1sy
— Brian Truitt (@briantruitt) January 30, 2018
#BlackPanther is hands down my FAVORITE @Marvel movie so far! Also, the women in this movie KICK ASS!!! Freaking spectacular! pic.twitter.com/0So83tUt1z
— Jenna Busch-Henderson (@JennaBusch) January 30, 2018
https://twitter.com/davidehrlich/status/958218243000463365
BLACK PANTHER is the most spiritual Marvel movie yet! Family and heritage is a big part of the story — there are moments in this movie that get real deep. Danai Gurira is a scene-stealer and the movie elevates whenever Michael B. Jordan shows up. #BlackPanther pic.twitter.com/KIxiAItnEY
— Jason Guerrasio (@JasonGuerrasio) January 30, 2018
Excited yet? Good, because we’ve got even more reactions below:
#BlackPanther is exceptional – the James Bond of the MCU. You've seen nothing like this in a superhero movie – it's bold, beautiful & intense, but there's a depth & spiritualness that is unlike anything Marvel has ever done. It's 100% African & it is dope af. pic.twitter.com/Z77IjnIjf2
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) January 30, 2018
#BlackPanther is riveting on many levels: visually astonishing, but more importantly, so unpredictable. Incredible to watch a major blockbuster celebrate blackness while exploring its relationship to various facets of pop culture. “Stop scaring me,” colonizer!” #wakanda4ever
— erickohn (@erickohn) January 30, 2018
#BlackPanther: I never wanted this movie to end, and as soon as it did I wanted to go back. Solid action, smart story, tons of personality. Shuri is my new fave, Nakia is everything, Killmonger is incredible, T'Challa deserves to rule the MCU. Coogler has done it again. 💜🖤💙 pic.twitter.com/t9gG3DLuCL
— Angie J. Han (@ajhan) January 30, 2018
So much love for Black Panther. The exploration of Wakanda is phenomenal, Erik Killmonger is unquestionably one of Marvel's best villains, and manages to be both fun and dramatic. Can't wait to see it again! pic.twitter.com/46fRrYKuul
— Eric Eisenberg (@eeisenberg) January 30, 2018
Marvel Studios continues their streak (and then some) with #BlackPanther. One of their best looking and sounding films. Oh and this is 110% a Ryan Coogler film. pic.twitter.com/25tEYgrRq7
— Shawn (@shwnmdn83) January 30, 2018
With T’Challa at its core and an entire nation (read: Wakanda) ready to be explored, Black Panther also features an A-list cast comprised of the aforementioned Jordan, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and The Last Jedi duo Andy Serkis and Lupita Nyong’o, the latter of whom seemingly signed on to star as Nakia without so much as reading the script.
And we’ll get to see them all in action very soon, as Black Panther claws its way into theaters on February 16th here in the States, and when it does, Marvel Studios will purportedly be staring down the face of an opening weekend in the region of $100M-$120M. That figure could climb higher still, given the good word of mouth and positive buzz, and it’ll be fascinating to watch how well the film ultimately performs.
