'Black Panther' Projected to Cross $1 Billion at Global Box Office This Weekend

"Wakanda Forever!" Marvel's Black Panther continues to be an unprecedented success, already poised to once again win the box office, in its fourth week of release. However, for those keeping careful track of the numbers, week four of Black Panther's release won't just be yet another box office win, it will be a milestone win!

As outlets like Bloomberg and Box Office Mojo are now confirming, Black Panther is poised to cross the $1B mark at the global box office this weekend. As of writing this on Friday, the film sits at about $926M globally, with the US box office on lock for the weekend, and strong opening returns already being counted in Chinese markets.

Black Panther is now Marvel's most successful solo character debut by wide margin; Spider-Man: Homecoming took in $880M worldwide (and is technically more of a reboot than a debut); Doctor Strange conjured $677M worldwide. Black Panther's cultural impact has also been massive, affecting changes to the industry and world that will be felt long after the film's run.

...And who would've thought? As has become a running gag in Hollywood, a mere year ago few would've believed the notion that major blockbusters centered around and directed by women and/or people of color would be major box office earners - but here we are. Wonder Woman brought in $821M for Warner Bros., and Black Panther is about to give Marvel a billion-dollar payday they probably never expected. The stage is now set for Marvel's next film, the milestone Avengers: Infinity War, to now make a legitimate attempt at the $2B bar.

The latest Avengers: Infinity War magazine feature brought a lot of fun connections to Black Panther. We learned that the entire third act of the film will be the epic "Battle of Wakanda" sequence that pits the Avengers and Wakandan army against the forces of Thanos. We also got to see fun crossover character moments, like Shuri and Bruce Banner trading thoughts, or Okokye having to meet a wider world of Avengers. Be sure to check that coverage out - and let us know your thoughts on Avengers: Infinity War, below!

Black Panther is now in theaters. It will be followed by Avengers: Infinity War on April 27th, Ant-Man and the Wasp on July 6th, Captain Marvel on March 8th, 2019, the fourth Avengers movie on May 3rd, 2019, the sequel to Spider-Man: Homecoming on July 5th, 2019, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in 2020.