Marvel Studio’s latest film, Black Panther, is an international phenomenon. Since its release, the film has shattered box office records and has raked in nearly $750 million worldwide in less than two weeks.
As audiences continue to flock to the film, many have been discussing what its success means to Black people as a whole and Black films in Hollywood. Recently, Black Panther’s star Chadwick Boseman stopped by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to surprised film fans who shared heartfelt messages about what the film means to them.
During the sketch, the reactions from fans ranged from extremely emotional to downright hilarious. One viewer praised Boseman for “being the hero we really need in a time like this,” while another said her son has grown up in an era of positive representations of Black men thanks to Barack Obama and Boseman’s character of T’Challa in Black Panther.
During his appearance on The Tonight Show, Boseman said Black Panther has resonated with Black moviegoers because it’s much more than just a superhero flick.
“The relationship between Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) and T’Challa, which is basically an African American trying to connect to his roots, that conversation is one that is happening on a platform that you wouldn’t normally see happening,” he said.
“You see Africans viewing African Americans in a different way and African Americans viewing themselves and Africa in a different way,” he continued. “That is a very, very healthy thing for people to become more specific about their identity.”