'Black Panther' Top-Grossing Film in History at 33 AMC Theaters

Filmmaker Ryan Coogler's superhero pic is shattering records in its box-office debut.
Disney and Marvel Studios' Black Panther has already become the highest-grossing title in history at 33 AMC Theaters across the country, according to the mega exhibitor.

Put another way, Black Panther earned more at those cinemas on Thursday evening and Friday — along with advance ticket sales for other times during the weekend — than any other movie has in an entire weekend.

AMC didn't provide a list of the 33 theaters, nor a precise dollar amount for those cinemas, but noted that there were a record 83 showings on Friday at the AMC Southlake 24 in Atlanta.

Owned by Chian's Dalian Wanda Group, AMC is the largest movie chain in the world, including in North America, where it operates 661 locations.

Black Panther is shattering records in its box-office debut. On Friday, it took in $75.8 million for a projected domestic debut of $205-$210 million over the four-day President's Day weekend. Friday's haul included more than $25 million in Thursday night previews.

The film will easily nab the top February opening of all time and could score the biggest debut ever for a superhero pic if it passes up fellow Marvel title The Avengers ($207.4 million), not accounting for inflation.

Directed by Ryan Coogler, the $200 million movie stars Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther alongside Lupita Nyong'o, Michael B. Jordan, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis.

The story follows T'Challa as he is sworn in as king of Wakanda, a cloaked, technologically advanced nation in Africa that's home to the exotic metal vibranium, which powers much of Black Panther's tech.