The box office rivalry between Black Adam & Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is effectively ended by Dwayne Johnson. Ryan Coogler’s highly anticipated Black Panther: Wakanda Forever marks Marvel Studios’ third return to the big screen this year. The sequel to 2018’s Black Panther had a lot on its plate, not only did it have to move the story forward without Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa, but it also had to introduce Namor, the MCU’s newest mutant. As Black Panther: Wakanda Forever enters Phase 4, its box office performance is being closely monitored, and it has been frequently compared to the DCU’s final film of the year, Black Adam, that Johnson headlined and produced.
As Black Panther: Wakanda Forever passes the $400 million mark within its first week, reports indicate that it has already overtaken Black Adam’s total box office haul, highlighting the MCU film’s latest box office accolade. Previously, the sequel directed by Ryan Coogler had the highest November opening weekend in history. In light of this, Johnson takes to Twitter to dismiss the ongoing box office comparisons between both the films, claiming that they are unfair. Check out the actor’s tweet below:
😂 What a neutral post.
— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) November 20, 2022
I love competing, but @IGN you guys are in the biz with us there’s no competition with the established global brand of Black Panther compared to Black Adam & JSA who a year ago no one even heard of. No need to knock us, we’re new babies and have to grow😊
Why Johnson Is Correct About Superhero Box Office Comps Being Inequitable
Comparisons of the MCU and the DCU are not unusual. The rivalry between the two has transcended comic books and so now exists in Warner Bros. and Disney’s media franchises. However, those involved in these projects repeatedly demonstrate that there is no bad blood between them. Instead, it’s just friendly competition, which is ultimately beneficial to the public because it motivates both companies to produce high-quality projects. However, they are sometimes compared anyway, especially when they are released within weeks of each other, and this is usually done without malice.
This is exactly what happened when people compared Black Panther: Wakanda Forever to Black Adam. However, comparing the films to each other isn’t entirely fair. As Johnson points out, the Black Panther franchise has a significant advantage in terms of global recognition. Meanwhile, Black Adam and the Justice Society of America are relatively unknown outside of the comic book community. Aside from that, there are numerous other factors that influence a film’s gross. The timing of the release is critical here, as are the studios’ marketing efforts.
Overall, box office performance should not be used to determine a film’s quality. Many films of higher quality struggle commercially, whereas those deemed unconvincing by critics can still make money. In the case of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever & Black Adam, fans should be able to enjoy whichever film they prefer – or, better yet, they should watch both because they might enjoy what they each have to offer.
Source: Dwayne Johnson/Twitter