is the eighteenth installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the first solo adventure for the film's titular protagonist, who was first introduced inThe film tells the story of T'Challa aka Black Panther (), the king of Wakanda, a fictional and technologically advanced African nation, who returns home after the events ofand finds himself drawn into a conflict that puts the entire fate of Wakanda and the world at risk.Co-written and directed by), the film also starsandopened in theaters on February 16, 2018 and received rave reviews from critics, who praised everything from the acting and directing to the action and social commentary. It was also a huge hit at the box-office, grossing $192 million in its opening weekend, the fifth largest three-day-domestic debut of all-time. It also surpassed's February record ($132.4 million) and scored the second largest opening in the MCU, behind only($207.4 million).