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Black Panther

Black Panther

Long live the king.

2018134 minPG-13Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Director
Ryan Coogler
Starring
Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira

King T'Challa returns home to the reclusive, technologically advanced African nation of Wakanda to serve as his country's new leader. However, T'Challa soon finds that he is challenged for the throne by factions within his own country as well as without. Using powers reserved to Wakandan kings, T'Challa assumes the Black Panther mantle to join with ex-girlfriend Nakia, the queen-mother, his princess-kid sister, members of the Dora Milaje (the Wakandan 'special forces') and an American secret agent, to prevent Wakanda from being dragged into a world war.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Black Panther?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Black Panther streaming on Disney+ and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Highlights

What stands out about Black Panther?

Black Panther earns 9 badges, led by Top 10% in Action and Awards magnet.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Black Panther worth watching?

Black Panther's Midcredits score is the 89th percentile of all films, from 4M ratings across 6 sources. 76% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

89th percentile

Better received than 89% of films

94th percentile among Action89th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)88th
Approval (how many liked it)86th

73 /100

88th percentile of all films

95th percentile among Action88th percentile among 2010s

Critics 88 · Audience 72

Critics liked it more than audiences did.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.4 — solid but not unanimous.

76% liked it

86th percentile of all films

90th percentile among Action87th percentile among 2010s
76% rated it 7–1024% rated it 1–6

Critics 96% · Audience 79%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 33 wins / 66 noms overall

  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Motion Picture - Drama
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Original Score - Motion Picture

85th percentile

4M ratings across platforms

75th percentile among Action86th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 9% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$200M
Opening weekend$202M
Domestic gross$700M
Worldwide gross$1.3B

Returned 6.7× its budget — 99th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A visually striking film with a mostly black cast exploring themes of identity and responsibility, but structurally a familiar Marvel origin story with uneven CGI and action.

Fans praised

  • Vibrant world-building of Wakanda with rich African cultural influences
  • Strong cast chemistry, especially the women warriors and Shuri
  • Killmonger as one of Marvel's most compelling, sympathetic villains

Detractors panned

  • Disappointing, stiff lead performance from Boseman
  • Generic, predictable superhero plot with weak narrative logic
  • Overhyped and overrated due to cultural politics rather than film craft

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive80

Immersion in vivid, lived-in Wakanda

CinematographyDivisive75

Beautiful colorful visuals, but shaky action cam and uneven CGI

ActingDivisive72

Strong ensemble particularly women, but lead performance divisive

CharactersDivisive65

Killmonger praised as deep villain, T'Challa and side characters underwritten

Effects and spectacleDivisive60

Impressive but overused CGI, notably rhinos and final battle

PacingDivisive50

Sluggish start, rushed emotional beats, odd rhythm

Plot and storyDivisive45

Predictable revenge narrative with thin logic and rushed developments

OriginalityDivisive45

Derivative of Bond and other Marvel films despite cultural novelty

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 15 points higher than men.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 7 points apart
  • US vs non-US 7 points apart

Watch experience

What is Black Panther like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Fun ride: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want a fun ride.

It is intense, has a few laughs and leaves you hopeful.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Fun ride.

The answer rests on this: Moods
ThrillingTenseHopefulMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Epic · 2% of films: Vast in scale: big landscapes, big stakes, a long span.Adventurous · 11% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its Afrofuturist world and political conflict with earnest respect, while balancing warmth and humour.
The rideThe film builds from ceremony and wonder into political conflict and personal confrontation, with the emotional weight peaking in the final act's duel and its aftermath.
StructureConventional hero's journey told in linear order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer inspired by T'Challa's open-hearted leadership while wrestling with Killmonger's justified anger.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).MonsterTyrant
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% (this title) · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Tyrant: A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).

21% of films fit this archetype

with Rebirth underneath

Why this archetypeT'Challa must defend his throne and his nation's isolationist philosophy from a challenger who embodies a different vision of Wakanda's role in the world.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4% (this title)
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsIdentity · 14% of filmsLegacy · 4% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Global stakes: Consequences reach the world.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores what justice means for a privileged nation in relation to a globally oppressed people, and what T'Challa owes his ancestors versus his future.
StanceThe film questions what justice means in a world of unequal privilege, neither fully celebrating Wakanda's isolation nor fully endorsing Killmonger's violent revolution.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanWildernessInstitutionalScience fiction
Orchestral modernFolkExperimentalForeground music · original score · Ludwig Göransson
Settingthe hidden Afrofuturist nation of Wakanda and its surrounding natural landscapes
MusicThe score blends traditional African instruments with orchestral and hip-hop elements, creating a unique sonic identity for Wakanda.

Content guide

Is Black Panther okay for kids?

PG-13

Black Panther is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for prolonged sequences of action violence, and a brief rude gesture” (MPAA). As of September 28, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (62/100), sexual content at mild (18/100), language at moderate (36/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (11/100) and frightening material at moderate (54/100). Overall it is heavier than 56% of PG-13-rated films.

Ratings in 33 other countries
  • UK12A
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanG
  • South Korea12
  • Brazil14
  • Austria12
  • BelgiumEA
  • Czechia12+
  • Denmark11
  • FinlandK-12
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Hungary12
  • ID17+
  • IsraelAll
  • ItalyT
  • LTN-13
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia16+
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
  • Switzerland12
  • Taiwan保護級
  • Türkiye13+
  • UA12+
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 35% of all filmsHeavier than 56% of PG-13-rated films
Violence & Gore
Intense
heavy for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 77%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 26%
Profanity
Moderate
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 33%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
light for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 11%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 62%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence. Everything else sits at or below what PG-13-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Black Panther have?

MovieCove's classifier found 2 depicted content warnings in Black Panther: Gun violence (severe), Gore or body horror (moderate). Each is backed by a verbatim quote from the parents' guide notes; a missing warning is not a guarantee of absence.

SevereGun violence
ModerateGore or body horror

Cast and crew

Who is in Black Panther?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor; 10 award-winning performances in the cast.

Chadwick Boseman
as T'Challa
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Michael B. Jordan
as Erik Killmonger
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Lupita Nyong'o
as Nakia
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Danai Gurira
as Okoye
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Martin Freeman
as Everett K. Ross
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion PictureTop draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Daniel Kaluuya
as W'Kabi
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Letitia Wright
as Shuri
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Winston Duke
as M'Baku
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Sterling K. Brown
as N'Jobu
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Angela Bassett
as Ramonda
SAG win: Screen Actors Guild Award — Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Black Panther?

Movies like Black Panther include Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), Batman (1989) and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Jack Kirby, and most are superhero films.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

5 of these 12 share its world: a fictional world. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Black Panther?

386 other films share the rarest tag below, up against: soldier. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.