Ryan Coogler Pens Heartfelt Note Thanking Fans for 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' Success

After the news of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever topping box office, grossing above $550 million USD worldwide, director Ryan Coogler penned a heartfelt thank you note to all the fans for their support.

The Marvel sequel was one of the most-anticipated films this year, continuing to take over the box office this Thanksgiving weekend. According to Variety, the Disney and Marvel film is currently on track to earning $64 million USD domestically over the five-day period. Coogler's message was posted on Marvel's official social media account. The director began his note to the fans with a single word, "Gratitude. That is the only world that comes to mind for your support of our work on the film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." He continued, "I am filled with it. Thank you. Thank you to the people who bought their tickets early and camped out opening weekend. Thank you to those of you who took their families out—young ones and elders in tow."

Coogler was tasked with a difficult job after the untimely loss of Chadwick Boseman. He made the cautious decision to continue the storyline to honor both Boseman and his character, as well as moving forward without recasting for the role. He continued, "Our film deals with the inescapable human emotion of grief. Thank you for opening yourself up to the emotional journey of this film. We made something to honor our friend, who was a giant in our industry, and we also made something to be enjoyed in a theatrical setting with friends, family, and strangers. Something to be quoted and discussed. To be debated. Something to make people both physically and emotionally feel seen. This medium wouldn’t exist without an audience, and I thank you for giving me professional purpose, and an emotional outlet. I look forward to bringing you more stories in the future."

Read the full note to fans below.

In other entertainment news, take a first look at Idris Elba in the upcoming Luther film.