Marvel Studios Boss Calls ‘Black Panther’ “The Most Important Victory We’ve Ever Had”

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige says the “cultural impact” of the Golden Globe-nominated Black Panther is “certainly the most important victory we’ve ever had.”

“We have high expectations, we spend a lot of money on these movies, we put a lot of time into these movies, we believe in them and expect them to do well that we can do another one. That it had the cultural impact it had is what is most meaningful,” Feige told MTV News during Sunday’s 76th Golden Globes.

“This is my first time at the Globes. That Black Panther has the power to bring Marvel to the Golden Globes is pretty exciting.”

Asked about past comic book films that deserved awards recognition, Feige answered, “Yes, of course, [The] Dark Knight obviously you talk about, but I think Marvel Studios made a lot of great movies that I’m very proud of. Almost any of which I would hold up there with the best films of that year.”

The Ryan Coogler-directed Black Panther is the first superhero film to be nominated for the Golden Globes’ coveted Best Picture – Drama award, competing against Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, Barry Jenkins’ If Beale Street Could Talk, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga-starrer A Star Is Born, and Queen biopic and prize winner Bohemian Rhapsody.

Proving itself a cultural phenomenon after winning a $1.3 billion worldwide box office, Black Panther earned $700 million of its haul domestically and was just the third film to outgross the milestone in North America behind only Disney’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($936m) and James Cameron’s Avatar ($760m).

In September, Disney submitted Black Panther for consideration in numerous Academy Award categories, including Best Director for Cooler and Best Picture.

The film has since earned a spot on four shortlists: Makeup and Hairstyling, Original Score (Ludwig Göransson), Original Song (Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “All the Stars”) and Visual Effects. Should Black Panther emerge as a Best Picture contender, it would be the first superhero movie nominated for Hollywood’s biggest award.

“I think there are a lot of amazing artists that helped to make that movie, and it would be wonderful if they could be recognized,” Feige told Vox in July ahead of Marvel’s Disney-backed Oscar campaign.

“Almost everyone involved in that movie, bringing that movie together, is great, and it would be wonderful to see if they’re recognized. We’ll see. This genre, typically not.”

Feige then advocated for recognition on behalf of production designer Hannah Beachler, costume designer Ruth Carter, Coogler and co-writer Joe Robert Cole, as well as stars Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Letitia Wright and Lupita Nyong’o.

The 91st Academy Awards air February 24 on ABC.