As Black Panther continues to slay the box office and garner praise and acclaim, director Ryan Coogler wrote a touching letter to thank the masses for supporting the film.

The filmmaker, who co-wrote the Marvel Studios movie with Joe Robert Cole, penned a humbling letter that was posted on Marvel Entertainment’s official Twitter account, saying “Never in a million years did we imagine that you all would come out this strong.”

Since opening last week, the movie has made more than $240 million, scoring it the fifth-best domestic opening of all time. It might be raking in the dough, but Coogler finds just as much gratitude for what the film is doing in terms of inclusion and heritage, moving him and his wife to tears.

In his letter, he thanked everyone from kids to hardcore fans to the press, saying, “Thank you for giving our team of filmmakers the greatest gift: The opportunity to share this film, that we poured our hearts and souls into, with you.”

Here is the letter in its entirety: