Black Panther: Wakanda Forever made more than $331 million so far at the international box office, with $181 million coming from the US alone. That’s a strong start but not a surprising one. This isn’t just an MCU story. It’s the Black Panther 2 sequel that we were all eagerly anticipating, especially considering Chadwick Boseman’s tragic passing. But Wakanda Forever’s box office success is also a problem for the Disney Plus release, as Disney might delay the Black Panther 2 streaming premiere.
Typically, new Marvel movies hit Disney’s streaming service 45 days after the theatrical release. That’s a policy that Disney implemented after the pandemic delays and one that the studio has stuck to ever since.
You won’t always see the latest MCU movie on Disney Plus on exactly the 45th day after its premiere. But it’ll be around that timeframe.
When we first discussed Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s potential streaming release, we calculated that the movie could launch on or around December 26th. But at the time, we told you that the date seemed unlikely. It’s a Monday, and we expect new MCU content to hit the streaming service on a Thursday. It’s also the day after Christmas.
We noted that December 29th would be a more appropriate Disney Plus release date for Black Panther 2. But that was just speculation.
When will Black Panther: Wakanda Forever be released on Disney Plus?
More than $331 million later, Wakanda Forever looks like a movie that might have longer legs at the box office than Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Longer than the minimum 45-day period that Disney guarantees for MCU movies.
According to Deadline, Wakanda Forever is looking at a “robust theatrical window.” As a result, there are supposedly no plans for Black Panther 2 to hit Disney Plus by the end of the year.
Furthermore, Deadline notes that Wakanda Forever might have had a lighter start than Multiverse of Madness. But some expect it to do better at the box office. Expectations are for Black Panther 2 to make at least $500 million from US ticket sales alone. Doctor Strange 2 topped $955 million at the box office, of which $411 million was in the US.
Marvel will undoubtedly address the Wakanda Forever Disney Plus release in the coming weeks. But even without the new Black Panther movie on streaming, remember that there’s one more MCU project set to hit Disney Plus this year.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special has a November 25th release date, and it’ll be a mini-movie similar to Werewolf by Night. The new Guardians special will be the MCU adventure that formally concludes MCU Phase 4. Maybe it will come when Black Panther 3 is out.
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