The importance of representation is reflected in the fact that diversity can have a huge impact on box office performance (Get Out and the most recentl chapter of the Fast & Furious franchise are perfect examples from just 2017), and it will have a role to play when Black Panther rolls around.
This conversation about Black Panther’s theatrical performance potential is also incomplete without the discussion of representation – which is something we’ve been talking a lot about in the weeks since the release of Wonder Woman.
Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster isn’t the first superhero film headlined by a black actor – as it is preceded by both Blade and Steel – but the fact that it’s the first in what’s casually called the ‘Golden Age of Comic Book Movies’ is most definitely significant, and will have people turning up to see it on the big screen.