Black Panther collects Rs 65,00,50,00,000 worldwide after a strong China debut

The first blockbuster with a black superhero in the leading role, Black Panther has become a symbol for promoting diversity in the movie industry.

Walt Disney Co.’s Black Panther has collected more than $1 billion (Rs 6,500 crore) at cinemas worldwide, making it the company’s 16th movie to reach that milestone.

This image released by Disney shows Chadwick Boseman in a scene from Marvel Studios' Black Panther. (Matt Kennedy/Marvel Studios-Disney via AP) (AP)

The Marvel superhero film, which has been setting sales records, broke into 10 figures after a strong debut in China on Friday. Its $521 million in U.S. sales puts it among the 10 highest-grossing releases domestically, and international sales are expected to surpass $500 million this weekend, Disney said in an emailed statement.

The first blockbuster with a black superhero in the leading role, Black Panther has become a symbol for promoting diversity in the movie industry. African-Americans have been drawn to the big screen debut of an African protagonist and a story line that tackles race and colonization. Issues like inclusion and sexual harassment in the entertainment industry were also in the spotlight March 4 at the Academy Awards in Hollywood.

China, the largest movie market after the U.S., has become a lucrative outpost for Disney and Marvel. Avengers: Age of Ultron, a 2015 release, pulled in sales of $240 million there, while the 2016 hit Captain America: Civil War produced $181 million.

Heading into the weekend, Black Panther had tallied $940.3 million in worldwide sales since opening in the U.S. on Feb. 16.