The success of Black Panther continues—following immense ticket sales since its release, Marvel's superhero film just surpassed Titanic to become the third highest-grossing movie of all time at the US box office.
In less than two months, Black Panther has managed to make more at the box office than 1997's Titanic. It still sits behind Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which made $936.7 million, and Avatar, which earned $760.5 million (via The Hollywood Reporter).
Whether or not Black Panther will catch up to either of those record-breaking movies remains to be seen, but as no-one expected it to out-earn Titanic, it's certainly not an impossible feat.
Black Panther is Marvel's most inclusive movie to date. Variety points out that the film's "diversity is not only racially inclusive, but representative of women and the LGBTQ community as well."
The kickass performances of female leads Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, and Angela Bassett certainly made the Marvel Cinematic Universe accessible to women - and women of colour - in a way that previous superhero films have failed to.
Black Panther is proof that diversity can and does sell. Hollywood, take note.
Amy Mackelden is a freelance writer, editor, and disability activist. Her bylines include Harper's BAZAAR, Nicki Swift, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, ELLE, The Independent, Bustle, Healthline, and HelloGiggles. She co-edited The Emma Press Anthology of Illness, and previously spent all of her money on Kylie Cosmetics.
