Black Panther has become a worldwide sensation. In only 26 days, the film grossed $1B worldwide. The film crossed the $1B mark thanks to a strong opening in China where it grossed $63M during the first weekend of its release.
However, the film is facing backlash in China because many of the viewers thought the film was too Black. According to the online site Douban, China’s version of IMBD, several film reviewers were turned-off by the Blackness of Black Panther. The movie currently has a rating of 6.7 out of 10.
One reviewer wrote, “Black Panther is black, all the major characters are black, a lot of scenes are black, the car-chasing scene is black—the blackness has really made me drowsy.”
Another reviewers wrote about seeing the film in 3D. “The film is filled with black actors and actresses. Also, because the film’s colors are a bit dark, it’s nearly a torture for the eyes to watch the film’s 3D version in the theater.”
China has always had a peculiar relationship when it comes to Black people. Most of it stems from European influences that inspired negativity against Blacks. There are overt instances of racism against Blacks in the country.
In October, an art exhibit at the Hubei Provincial Museum, called “This is Africa,” compared Africans to animals. And a skit on China’s CCTV featured a Chinese woman in blackface with large buttocks. The woman was surrounded by monkeys and tribal dancers.
The racist backlash against Black Panther came weeks after Chadwick Boseman was crowned the “Most Popular U.S. Actor in China” during the Chinese American Film Festival.
Black Panther will come in at No. 1 at the U.S. box office for the fifth week in a row.
