Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
‘Pacific Rim’ knocks off ‘Black Panther’
It took six weeks, but “Black Panther” finally has been unseated as the top film at the North American box office. The monsters vs. robots science-fiction sequel “Pacific Rim: Uprising” dethroned the superhero sensation with $28 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.
But the result for “Pacific Rim: Uprising,” a Universal Pictures-Legendary Entertainment release that cost $150 million to make, was soft — at least domestically. Like the recently released “Tomb Raider,” its biggest business was in China, where “Pacific Rim: Uprising” debuted with $65 million.
And even though “Black Panther” slid to second place with $16.7 million in its sixth weekend, Ryan Coogler’s film notched another box-office milestone. It’s now the highest-grossing superhero film ever in North America, not accounting for inflation. The film’s $631 million in domestic ticket sales has surpassed the $623 million of 2012’s “The Avengers.” “Black Panther” also becomes the fifth highest-grossing film of all time, rising above “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.”
The record-breaking hit of “Black Panther” has been followed by a string of lackluster performers, including “Tomb Raider,” “A Wrinkle in Time” and “Red Sparrow.” “Pacific Rim: Uprising” may have taken down “Black Panther,” but a blockbuster heir to the Marvel film still hasn’t been found.