What’s the Deal: Black Panther is the first superhero movie to be released this year, so of course “Best Superhero Movie Ever” is being thrown around. It’s an annual tradition. While it might not be that, the praise has been absolutely insane. Huge hype. Huge buzz. Crazy word of mouth. The box office is going to explode in a flurry of gold coins like a Super Mario Brothers game. Let’s get to it.
Daniel Cohen’s Breakdown
As a longtime Marvel naysayer, I always go into MCU films with huge blinders. While I had hope for movies like Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok, I still went in with extremely tempered expectations, knowing that the Marvel-ness of it all would likely piss me off. Do I think those movies stink? No, but I find them merely passable with a lot of irritating qualities.
As I go into Black Panther tonight, I’m taking the blinders off. I expect nothing less than greatness. This is the first time in the MCU where I’m not nervous at all. This isn’t just going to be a great superhero movie, but like Logan last year, simply just a great movie.
Black Panther has too much going for it to be derailed by the Marvel pollution. Great director? Check. Great cast? Check. The early reviews have warmed my heart, with words like “emotional” and “gripping” being thrown around. Usually with a Marvel film, those words are “fun” and “humor.” For once, I’m not seeing those.
Do I think Black Panther is going to be the greatest movie ever made? No. Do I expect the greatest superhero movie of all time? No. Do I think it will win 85 Academy Awards? No. What I do expect is a great movie, and for once, the jokes and snark to be locked away in a vault.
If Black Panther is just another fun, funny run of the mill MCU offering, you will hear my rage all the way from California. It will be a fury unlike anything I’ve ever unleashed.
This character, director and cast deserve more. They deserve greatness.
Biggest Asset: Everything.
Achilles Heel: For the love of bagels, please don’t Marvel this up. Please. I’m begging you.
Tommy Tracy’s Breakdown
About. Damn. Time. I love Black Panther, easily one of my Top ten favorite Marvel Comic characters. I am so excited for this movie and the chance to see one of my favorites on the big screen in his own film.
Chadwick Boseman was so bad ass in Captain America: Civil War and I can’t wait to see him lead his own film. I’m well aware Infinity War is right around the corner, and yet, as badly as I want to see it, Black Panther is going to be hard to beat!
Biggest Asset: The chance for some social justice to be done.
Achilles Heel: The audience who will look at this as a “snowflake” or “social justice warrior” film.
Bill’s Bodkin Take:
The hype for Black Panther is astounding. Black Panther was never a “Mount Rushmore” Marvel Comics character, and some could argue it’s not even a Top 15 character in terms of popularity. However, Marvel has done an outstanding job in building the hype for this film. Chadwick Boseman’s character was one of the best parts of Civil War, and every screenshot, trailer, and even the soundtrack have been meticulously released to ramp excitement up for this film.
And it has a totally different vibe than any recent Marvel release. This has a dramatic, almost Shakespearean air about it. It’s like we’re not only being handed a superhero film, but a film with dramatic conflict, and weight. And that’s what happens when you attach a heralded director to the project and fill with this film with one of the most impressive acting ensembles for a comic book movie. Yeah, it’s not the all-star extravaganza of Infinity War, but just look at the acting clout here — multiple Oscar nominees, and winners, multiple Emmy winners, and two leads in Chadwick Boseman and Michael B. Jordan who turn in great work in nearly every film.
This film not only has the potential to massive box office, but it has the chance to reach a “beloved” status a la Wonder Woman and Logan last year – where (potentially) Oscar talk is not out of the question.
Biggest Asset: This movie has just about everything going for it except giving away free popcorn at screenings.
Achilles Heel: There’s two concerns here, and both have been mentioned already — Marvel making this “too Marvel” and inserting really poorly timed and placed jokes in this film, and a backlash of those who see this film as a “social justice warrior” movie and will tear it down because they feel it doesn’t work with their politics. Spoilers. It’s a movie. Enjoy it for what it is.
Daniel Cohen: I could see this movie cracking $200 million opening weekend. No joke. The buzz right now is on the level of Logan, but with the added advantage of having the MCU pedigree. It’s going to be a monster.
I’m not sure it can get to a billion worldwide. That’s asking a lot. It definitely has a chance to outpace Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming though.
The Ceiling: $900 Million Worldwide | The Floor: $720 Million Worldwide
Tommy Tracy: Black Panther is easily making $100 million in its opening weekend. This makes it almost impossible for it not to make a butt-load at the box office in the long run. With many people excited to see the precursor to Infinity War, as well as some social justice finally being done, I can’t see it not making at least $900 million worldwide.
The Ceiling: $900 Million Worldwide | The Floor: $750 Million Worldwide
Bill Bodkin: Black Panther really has that Wonder Woman vibe to it. The majority of people are excited about it, everything we’ve seen so far (marketing, reviews) has been stellar, and it’s a movie that has crazy audience appeal. This is going to do be big. However, I’m not sure if it gets to a billion. Guardians 2, Thor, and Spider-man did not crack that number worldwide, and neither did Wonder Woman. However, I feel with this being part of the official MCU and not a sequel, it will get damn close.
The Ceiling: $950 Million Worldwide | The Floor: $835 Million Worldwide
Daniel Cohen: Where do I begin? Lupita Nyong’o. Daniel Kaluuya. Angela Bassett. Endless possibilities. I’m going to cheat slightly and say Michael B. Jordan. I know he’s the main villain, but this is my pick. Not only do I think Jordan will be the best MCU villain BY FAR, but he could end up being a top ten all-time superhero movie villain.
Tommy Tracy: I really want to say Chadwick Boseman as the titular character, but HO-LEE-CRAP does Michael B. Jordan look awesome as Killmonger, the film’s villain.
Bill Bodkin: Boseman and Jordan are locks for great performances. So I’m going somewhere else. I’m going with Danai Gurira. You might know her as Michonne on The Walking Dead. This the highest profile film of her career, and I believe she’s going to knock it out of the park. We already know she’s in Infinity War from the trailers, and I think we’re going to find out why she’s going to be a staple in the MCU for the next few films.
Daniel Cohen: Ryan Coogler is awesome. I’m ready.
Anticipation Level: 4 Chadwick Bosemans out of 5
Tommy Tracy: Uh yeah, I’m excited. I don’t know how much more excited I can be. Ya know the scene in This is Spinal Tap when the amplifier is shown with a knob that says 11? Yeah, I’m at an 11. But since this is supposed to out of 5, I think you know my answer.
Anticipation Level: 5 Chadwick Bosemans out of 5
Bill Bodkin: My excitement level, even during our 2018 Movie Podcast, was tempered. I’ve been burned by Marvel before, but this…this movie seems special, and I’m ready.
Anticipation Level: 4.5 Chadwick Bosemans out of 5
Total Anticipation Level: 13.5 out of 15 Chadwick Bosemans.
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