With $ 180 million in estimated receipts between Friday and Sunday in the United States and Canada, the Marvel film ranks 13th among the best entries in history, according to the Box Office Mojo site.

Internationally, the film earned an additional $150 million.

"It's a sensational release," said David Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research, "especially for a mid-November release."

"Wakanda Forever" pays tribute to Chadwick Boseman, the star of the first "Black Panther", who died in 2020 of colon cancer at the age of 43.

The actor makes appearances there in the form of flashbacks as T'Challa, the ruler of the fictional African kingdom of Wakanda.

After T'Challa's death, Wakanda finds itself battling world powers, including an undersea kingdom, and struggles to retain its autonomy.

On the poster are Letitia Wright as Shuri, T'Challa's sister, Angela Bassett as Queen Ramonda, but also Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira or even Winston Duke.

2018's "Black Panther," the first black superhero blockbuster, had become a cultural phenomenon and grossed over $1.3 billion, garnering a Best Picture Oscar nomination along the way.

Far behind "Wakanda Forever", with $8.6 million, is another superhero film, "Black Adam", which topped the North American box office for three weeks.

In this DC comics feature film, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson plays Teth Adam, a former slave endowed with superpowers just released from a very long prison sentence and who finds a transformed and hostile universe.

The romantic comedy "Ticket To Paradise", in which Julia Roberts and George Clooney play ex-spouses who put aside their differences and travel to Bali to try to prevent their daughter's marriage, deemed hasty, ranks at third place with $6.1 million in revenue.

"Enzo the Croco", adapted from a children's book, is in fourth position, with 3.2 million dollars collected.

The psychological horror film "Smile" took fifth place with $2.3 million in revenue.

Here's the rest of the top 10:

6- "The Devil's Prey" (2 million dollars)

7- "The Banshees of Inisherin" (1.7 million)

8- "One Piece Movie: Red" (1.4 million)

9- "Emmett Till" (0.6 million)

10- "Armageddon Time" (0.4 million)

© 2022 AFP