Theaters see ‘Panther’ as a change agent

No one will be applauding louder after showings of “Black Panther” than theater owners.

Faced with slumping ticket sales, theater owners believe the Marvel Studios release — directed by an African-American and featuring a mostly black cast — could attract a wide spectrum of US movie goers.

“Kudos to Disney,” John Fithian, chief executive of the National Association of Theatre Owners, said of Marvel’s parent. “They lay down a $200 million bet that a minority cast can appeal to a majority of Americans.”

NATO, which just reported theatre admissions fell 6 percent last year, has long contended that diversity “outside the movie theatres must be recognized inside the theatres.”

Otherwise, it contends, Hollywood risks more box-office declines — despite ever-in- creasing ticket prices.

“Diverse offerings appeal to different audiences, which combine and re-combine in many different ways,” Fithian told The Post. “We look forward to when films like ‘Black Panther’ are not an anomaly.”

Last summer’s “Girls Trip,” with a budget of $19 million and US receipts of $115 million, demonstrated that black actresses can win over the movie-going public. And “Wonder Woman,” directed by a woman and starring a female superhero, did the same thing for all women globally, generating ticket sales of $822 million on a $149 million budget.

Expect “Black Panther” to be an even bigger game changer.

Fandango reported on Thursday that the shoo-in blockbuster had secured the No. 4 slot in movie pre-sales and noted that the three flicks ahead of it all had “Star Wars” in their title.