The Game-Changing Success of <em>Black Panther</em>
Marvel has hit big with a movie that leads with the artistry of its storytelling and the diversity of its characterization. Hollywood would do well to take notice.
Over the last few years, a lot of pernicious Hollywood myths about what movies are “marketable” have been shattered. Old excuses about how blockbusters featuring actors of color don’t appeal to worldwide audiences have been swept away by the success of franchises like the Fast & Furious series and the Star Wars sequels. Time and again, American audiences have responded to films with black leads like , Get Out, and , all of them turning huge profits on smaller budgets. Even within this context, though, the box-office success of this past weekend was basically unprecedented, and it’s one that could dictate where studios direct their energies in the future.
