This past weekend, “Black Panther” made it’s debut into theaters.
The movie has already shattered box-office records, and became the fifth largest opening weekend for a movie. It’s been highly anticipated since it was first announced in 2016 after Chadwick Boseman made his first appearance as T’Challa, aka the Black Panther, in “Captain America: Civil War”. “Black Panther” has especially created a buzz in the African-American community, because it makes history by being the first black superhero movie with a predominately black cast.
But what exactly has the black community going nuts about this movie? Well, it is the first ever time there has a been a black superhero on the screen as the lead instead of being a supporting character. When my great-uncle was growing up, he never saw a superhero that looked like him while growing up on the screen. Now, almost 80, he finally gets to see his childhood dream of seeing a black superhero on the big screen. Representation truly matters, and that is one thing I loved the most about the film. They feature black people in a way that no other films have before. There have been plenty of films showing black people in slavery, fighting for our rights, struggling to make ends meet, or overcoming a huge obstacle. But in this movie, black people are shown as royalty, heroes, and warriors. What other movie do you know that had a purple carpet premiere and the attire is African royalty?
(photo from BET.com)
Additionally, the females in the movie are amazing. Besides Chadwick Boseman and Micheal B. Jordan, the rest of the cast is made of up of strong black women such as Lupita Nyong’o, Angela Basset, Danai Gurira, and Letitia Wright. And not just any type of black women, but dark-skinned black women who have not been depicted always in positive light. These women are total girl-bosses as they are kicking butt right along the side of the Black Panther instead of watching in the background. There are all smart, strong, and independent all of their own way which makes me as black female proud.
(Tweet from @jkthenewwave)
(Tweet from @EricJDickey)
Many black movie-goers made the movie even special in there own way by cosplaying and dressing up in either traditional African-attire or in all black, as this is no ordinary movie. Harry Porter and Star Wars fans have been doing this for decades, so why can’t blacks do the same?
(Tweet from @T_DMac)
“Black Panther” has opened a discussion about representation in superhero movies. Maybe after “Infinity War” and when Marvel starts their next phase, they will introduce more diverse superheroes of underrepresented groups.
Gifs via Giphy.
Cover photo and first photo courtesy of Marvel.