When a new Avengers movie hits theaters, it’s no surprise that it breaks records left and right. The crossover adventures from the Marvel Cinematic Universe effortlessly surpass the billion-dollar mark. However, when it comes to a standalone film, overcoming this hurdle is less common.
For a long time, Iron Man 3 was the only MCU standalone film to achieve this feat. We intentionally exclude Captain America: Civil War, as it is considered more of an Avengers 2.5 due to the multitude of Marvel characters. Therefore, the fact that Black Panther raked in over $1.3 billion at the box office in February 2018 is truly remarkable.
Tonight, the exceptional MCU film will be airing on TV. Black Panther has had an incredible journey to success, taking viewers into the secretive kingdom of Wakanda, which appears futuristic thanks to the miraculous metal Vibranium. After the death of the king, T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) aims to follow in his father’s footsteps but is challenged by the ex-soldier Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), who has his own vision for Wakanda.
When Black Panther hit theaters in 2018, it became one of the biggest MCU successes. Despite the February release date typically being quieter in terms of major films, Black Panther defied expectations. With the audience already familiar with the title character from Captain America: Civil War, the massive hype surrounding the film was unexpected. Directed by Ryan Coogler, the blockbuster broke through the MCU barrier and became a pop culture phenomenon that even made it to the Oscars. Black Panther was a milestone in Hollywood, especially in terms of representation.
Following this tremendous success, Marvel quickly decided to give Black Panther a sequel. However, the passing of lead actor Chadwick Boseman drastically altered the course of the second installment. After reworking the script and taking it in a new direction, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever hit theaters in November 2022. Unfortunately, the film did not achieve the same level of success as its predecessor.
For those interested in watching Black Panther on TV, it will be airing tonight on October 4, 2024, at 8:15 PM on ProSieben. The film will run until 11:00 PM with commercials, and there will be no repeat broadcast. Alternatively, viewers can stream the film on Disney+ with a subscription.