By Dave McNary, Variety
Disney has set a one-week engagement for “Black Panther” to return to theaters to celebrate Black History Month during Feb. 1-7 at 250 participating AMC locations.
Tickets are free for everyone, and there will be two showings per day at each participating theater. Disney will also give a $1.5 million grant to support the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) in furthering its mission to help minority students access and move to and through college.
Disney made the announcement Monday on the heels of “Black Panther” winning the SAG Award for cast in a motion picture. “Black Panther” grossed $700 million in North American box office and another $647 million internationally.
“‘Black Panther’ is groundbreaking for many reasons, including the rich diversity of voices behind its success,” said Bob Iger, chairman and chief executive officer. “The story also showcases the power of knowledge to change the world for the better, and the importance of ensuring everyone has access to it. We’re proud to provide thousands of free screenings of ‘Black Panther’ in hopes it will continue to inspire audiences, and to support UNCF with a $1.5 million grant to make the dream of higher education a reality for more students.”
“Black Panther” received seven Oscar nominations on Jan. 22, including best picture, production design, costume design, original music score, original song, sound mixing, and sound editing.
“Almost a year ago, movie-lovers were transported to Wakanda, and the guest response to ‘Black Panther’ was unlike anything our industry has seen before,” said Adam Aron, CEO and president of AMC. “AMC is excited this best-picture nominated film is once again accessible on the big screen at AMC. We are also pleased to play a constructive role in Disney’s generous support of Black History Month.”
This article originally appeared in Variety.
