'Black Panther' spawns the latest internet craze: the M'Baku Challenge
Black Panther continues to rule Hollywood — and, for that matter, the world; it has now earned $905 million at the global box office after only three weeks of release. With $506.4 million of that total earned here in the States, it now stands as the ninth-highest-grossing film in U.S. history. With little competition on its immediate horizon, that sum should only continue to grow in the coming weeks — although it’s not the sole arena in which Ryan Coogler’s Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster is reigning, as confirmed by a new craze sweeping social media.
The M’Baku Challenge (#MBakuChallenge) involves people reciting the speech given by Winston Duke’s M’Baku shortly before he engages in ritual combat for the Wakandan throne against Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa. And it has become such an immediate hit that Duke himself has already chimed in, encouraging more people to post videos of themselves trying to live up to his performance:
The #Mbaku challenge is killing me !! Keep them coming-O!!!. #BlackPanther https://t.co/H43rBWeOq3
— Winston Duke (@Winston_Duke) February 28, 2018
Fans have more than happily complied:
My brother stupid y’all the things he send me #Mbakustandin #Mbakuchallenge @Kahlil_Mckenzie @chadwickboseman @Winston_Duke @michaelb4jordan pic.twitter.com/nM8t8oqeYP
— Jalen Mckenzie (@pcBjaypeez_) February 26, 2018
I have watched this M'baku impression 100x pic.twitter.com/L4LIz6n6vq
— Kevín (@KevOnStage) February 25, 2018
Had to get down with the #MBakuChallenge ?♂? pic.twitter.com/GZ1orBEtOQ
— Gabriel Myles (@GabeMyles5) March 2, 2018
When the spirit of M’Baku takes over and it’s #Challengeday #Blackpanther #MBaku #WakandaForever #Mbakuchallenge pic.twitter.com/EWEMIEKLWG
— M'Baku Jr (@FletchLDN) March 3, 2018
I couldn’t sit back any longer I had to join in #MBakuChallenge #MBaku #WakandaForever pic.twitter.com/Z1v11hHBnc
— Ryan Vessels?? (@Gods__key) March 3, 2018
The winner so far, however, seems to be the young kid featured in the Instagram video below, whose rendition of M’Baku’s fiery oration caught the attention of Duke, Boseman, and Killmonger himself, Michael B. Jordan:
A post shared by Brittnilutherqueenjr? (@badgyalbribri) on Mar 4, 2018 at 5:31pm PST
A post shared by Brittnilutherqueenjr? (@badgyalbribri) on Mar 6, 2018 at 5:31am PST
A post shared by Brittnilutherqueenjr? (@badgyalbribri) on Mar 6, 2018 at 7:26am PST
Feel free to share your own M’Baku impressions in the comments below.
Black Panther is in theaters now.
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