Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a runaway success with the receipts to prove it.

In its opening weekend, the long-awaited sequel took in an astounding $181 million domestically, setting a new record for a November film, grossing $331.3 million across the globe, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Also, the Ryan Coogler-directed superhero saga is the second-biggest launch of 2022 so far, behind fellow Marvel Cinematic Universe film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which took in $187.4 million domestically its opening weekend. 

Premiering in 4,396 theaters in the U.S., Black Panther 2 took in $84 million on Friday, making it one of the biggest opening days of all time.

The first Black Panther film became a cultural phenomenon upon its release in 2018. Starring the late Chadwick Boseman, the film became one of the crown jewels of the MCU as it went on to gross more than $1.34 billion at the worldwide box office.

In an interview with EBONY, Danai Gurira, who portrays the fierce general Okoye, described the emotional labor it took to film the sequel without Boseman.

“There’s a grief navigation that we were going through as we were stepping back into living in this world without our leader, our King, and our brother. That was a really specific journey to take in it,” she explained.

Letitia Wright, who plays Shuri, Wakanda’s chief scientist added that the film's release is a momentous celebration but is bittersweet after Boseman’s passing

“I knew that he was in a better place, but I selfishly wanted him to still be here … with us, with me,” she added. “But for myself, I use the film as a love letter to Chad. Every scene, every word I utter is with fullness and with life as he would want me to live it, you know, as he did live.”

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is well on its way to becoming one of the most successful films of 2022.