The newest installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has prowled its way into becoming a global phenomenon. Titled, Black Panther, the film will likely be Marvel’s most unique film yet. The film is based off of the Marvel character of the same name.

Black Panther made his first appearance in 1966, debuting in a Fantastic Four comic. The character was the first superhero of African descent to appear in American mainstream comics. Discussions to produce a film started as early as 1992, when actor Wesley Snipes announced his intention to make the film. In 1998, Snipes was set to produce and star in the film, however, the film never materialised. Snipes would go on to portray fellow Marvel character, Blade.

It was not until 2014 in which President of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige announced a Black Panther film, with an intended release date in 2017. Chadwick Boseman was cast in the title role, and the production took off from there.

Directed by Ryan Coogler (Creed), the film takes place shortly after the events of Captain America : Civil War, in which T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returns to the fictional kingdom of Wakanda to take the mantle of the Black Panther and tackle a dangerous threat.

The film holds cultural significance as it is one of the few superhero films that stars a character with African descent. So far, the film has garnered acclaim from critics who praise it for its cast, action sequences, costume design, and the performance of Michael B. Jordan as the antagonist of the film. The film, according to critics, distances itself from other superhero films.

In addition to having a heavy marketing campaign, the film’s soundtrack is curated by rapper Kendrick Lamar, who was chosen by Coogler because Coogler felt that his artistic style aligned with the themes explored in the film.

Black Panther seems to have a powerful cultural impact on the black community. Frederick Joseph received national recognition for setting up a GoFundMe campaign, titled “Help Children See Black Panther.” Originating in January, the challenge exploded across the globe, as the UK, Ghana, and South Africa have adopted it. The campaign has raised over $250,000, with notable contributions coming from Snoop Dogg, Chelsea Clinton, and director JJ Abrams. For his efforts, Joseph was invited to The Ellen Degeneres Show, where he met Chadwick Boseman.

Recently, Boseman was interviewed on Good Morning America. When asked what he made out of the immense following of the film, Boseman responded “It was important to us. I didn’t know how other people would feel about it.  “I knew just from the comic book what a ‘Black Panther’ movie could be, the type of impact it could have, I knew it would be a revolutionary idea. I didn’t necessarily know that people would buy out theaters.”