Black Panther petition calls on Marvel to donate 25% of box office to black communities

An online petition is calling on Marvel Studios and Disney to donate 25% of the profits from blockbuster superhero adventure Black Panther to black communities. The petition's creator, Chaz Gormley, says Disney should give back to its target audience.

"Through a clever, well-manufactured marketing campaign Marvel Studios and [its] parent company The Walt Disney Company have targeted the black community with their advertisements for the upcoming Black Panther film," the petition reads.

"As marginalised groups have become more vocal, corporations and their savvy public relations departments have turned to catering to these groups - to turn a profit - and this film by Marvel Studios is no different."

The petition had only been signed by 3,000 people at the time of writing.

Mr Gormley goes on to explain how the film's marketing campaign has explicitly targeted a black audience with the use of Gil Scott-Heron's The Revolution Will Not Be Televised in one of Black Panther's trailers, and its release being during Black History Month.

Black Panther marks the first time the character - the first black superhero in mainstream American comics - has starred in his own solo movie since his creation 52 years ago.

Chadwick Boseman plays T'Challa, the new king of the fictional African nation of Wakanda, whose black costume is made from vibranium, the indestructible, incredibly versatile metal mined by Wakandans, which is the literal bedrock of their advanced society.

Boseman made his debut as the character in 2016's Captain America: Civil War, instantly winning fans over with his charming but ice cold take on the character.

Boseman stars in the new film alongside a star-studded cast that includes Lupita Nyong'o, Michael B Jordan, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Andy Serkis, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Martin Freeman.

Directed by Creed's Ryan Coogler, the film has been adored by critics, who have hailed its authentic depiction of pan-African culture and its unflinching, nuanced take on subjects most blockbusters would leave well alone.

Black Panther is poised to be another big box office success for Marvel, with advanced ticket sales indicating that records are set to fall. It will be targeting the biggest ever opening weekend in the US, currently held by Deadpool which took an impressive $132.4 million two years ago.