Campaigns related to the #BlackPantherChallenge have now raised over $400,000 to help children go see Black Panther, in theaters this month.
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The challenge began when New York resident Frederick Joseph successfully funded a campaign to raise $40,000 for children in Harlem to go see Black Panther in theaters. Joseph then created the #BlackPantherChallenge to encourage others to do the same. Since then, over 400 individual campaigns have brought in donations from all over the world, totaling over $400,000.
“All children deserve to believe they can save the world, go on exciting adventures, or accomplish the impossible,” Joseph wrote in a statement about the challenge’s success. “I am grateful that all of you have answered the call and are taking action to help more kids watch their heroes on the big screen. Let’s keep pushing forward. If you’re a teacher, buy tickets for your entire classroom. If you’re a coach, take your team. If you’re a community leader, do some organizing and get the kids and parents in your community to the theater.”
Black Panther is already proving to be a massive critical success and is certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with a rating of 98 percent. The movie is also projected to be a huge commercial hit, with the anticipated domestic opening of $165 million projected earlier this week having risen to $180 million.
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Directed by Ryan Coogler from a script he wrote with Joe Robert Cole, Black Panther stars Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, Michael B. Jordan as Erik Killmonger, Lupita Nyong’o as Nakia, Daniel Kaluuya as W’Kabi, Letitia Wright as Shuri, Danai Gurira as Okoye, Angela Bassett as Ramonda, Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, Andy Serkis as Ulysses Klaue, Winston Duke as M’Baku and Forest Whitaker as Zuri. The film opens Feb. 16.