Marvel's latest superhero flick, Black Panther, continues to break records as the Presidents Day weekend rolls on. By the end of the four-day weekend, the Ryan Coogler directed film is set to bring in $218 million at the U.S. box office.
Major black celebrities have taken it upon themselves as part of the #BlackPantherChallenge to make sure that young kids get the opportunity to see the film that is poised to change the way Hollywood views black filmgoers.
Tennis star Serena Williams and husband Reddit Co-founder Alexis Ohanian partnered up with Black Girls Code to give girls the chance to see the new movie on its release day.
"I'm glad you guys could make it out," she told the crowd in San Francisco. "Obviously, this is a huge moment for us, for black people. We've never had a superhero movie, so we're so excited. I feel like I've waited my whole life for this."
Rapper Travis Scott rented out two movie theaters for kids in Houston on Saturday. He said that he "Loved Black Panther so much" that he had to do it.
LOVED BLACK PANTHER SO MUCH RENTED TWO MOVIE THEATRE FOR THE KIDS TO WATCH. HTX #bigshots
#godsplan
pic.twitter.com/y87qaf2Bmt— TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) February 17, 2018
Power couple actress Gabrielle Union and NBA star Dwyane Wade were so inspired by the film they made sure 100 youths from Boys & Girls clubs in Omaha, Cleveland, Watts and Miami went to see Black Panther. And on top of that, they will also donate to those clubs.
Black Panther is more than a movie, it’s a movement. If you can be a hero in someone’s life, be one. #wakandaforever✊???? #BlackPantherIsMoreThanAMovie
#BlackPantherChallenge
pic.twitter.com/ZshYRwe89t— Gabrielle Union (@itsgabrielleu) February 17, 2018
"So if you can be inspired and realizing that there are heroes in everyday life— and heroes we create," Union said, "that we should be celebrating our excellence, celebrating equality and all the things that make us a powerful people."
T.I., Lil Yachty, Offset also spread the Black Panther love around. This is Us writer Jas Waters set also up a fully-funded screening for 500 foster and at-risk children at the El Captain Theatre in California. Yachty and Offset made a surprise appearance and brought out the rest of the theater per TMZ. Atlanta's own T.I. partnered up with Walmart and bought 300 tickets for Atlanta filmgoers to see the hit film.
Probably the biggest screening that happened over the weekend was hosted by Top Dawg Entertainment. TDE’s CEO, Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith hosted a screening for 1000 kids living in the housing projects in Los Angeles. Many were from the Watts housing projects got the chance to see the movie in one of the five shows playing in the three different theaters Saturday.
How is that for #WakandaForever?
