ROANOKE,Va. – The Pickett family spent their President's Day away from work and school at the Grandin Theatre.
The family is one of thousands to see Marvel's record-setting movie, "Black Panther," because of the message it has for brothers Xavier and Tysen.
“I think that it is kind of inspirational to them, too, to have superpowers or pretend to be whom they dream to be,” said Amanda Pickett.
The film has racked up over $201 million since Friday and is projected to be the fifth-biggest opening weekend box office of all time.
"During the weekend we have had a couple hundred people in the room and we continue to have great crowds come out for it," said the executive director of the Grandin Theatre Foundation Ian Fortier.
For many people in the African-American community, "Black Panther" is more than just a movie.
It is a cultural experience for many around the world. 10 News spoke with Virginia Tech Africana studies and sociology professor of Biko Agozino to get his thoughts about the impact of the movie on today’s culture.
“The Black Panther appeals to a lot of black children because they are able to see a hero that looks, talks and has costumes like them so that's a good achievement on their part,” said Agozino.
Despite the high praise, there are some people like Agozino who believe that there were some missed opportunities in the film.
“The surest route of success of African-American and African children is through education but in the storyline of 'Black Panther,' there is no scene in the school anywhere,” said Agozino. “So, that's a very strong error in 'Black Panther.'”
"Black Panther" continues to spark debate, praise and large crowds at theaters. Also, there appears to be one central recurring theme that is heard throughout.
"The roles in the movie are predominantly African-American and it's an inspiration for most of the black community," said James Pickett.