BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — For Ryan Coogler, the essence of "Black Panther" came down to one question: What does it mean to be African?

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africans have cheered the local premiere of "Black Panther" and have quickly begun dissecting the way actors pronounced the local isiXhosa language used in the film's fictional kingdom of Wakanda.

Actresses Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira were applauded Friday night along with the South African actors who played roles in the film and contributed to the soundtrack.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Coogler was feeling overwhelmed by "Black Panther."

It was only his third feature film and, at just 30-years-old, he was making it with Hollywood's most powerful studio under enormous cultural expectations and with $200 million to get it right.

NEW YORK (AP) — Advance ticket sales to Marvel's "Black Panther" are outpacing all superhero movies on Fandango.

The online ticket service said Wednesday that "Black Panther" is currently outselling its previous record-holder for presale, 2016's "Batman v Superman." Following gushing early reaction from Monday night's premiere, Ryan Coogler's film is the top daily ticket-seller on Fandango.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As people gear up for the "Black Panther" movie, Ta-Nehisi Coates wants them to check out the original source, Marvel's Black Panther comic book, where he's booting up a massive outer space adventure for the king of Wakanda.

The award-winning author and journalist, in an interview with The Associated Press, predicted that the Black Panther movie would "be the best Marvel film so far."

LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Incredible" and "kinetic" are just a few of the loving words that people are using to describe and praise Marvel's "Black Panther."

The film from director Ryan Coogler had its first screenings Monday night and a premiere in Los Angeles. Official reviews won't go out until Feb. 6, but audiences at the select screenings were able to share non-spoiler reactions on social media.

Los Angeles Times writer Jen Yamato wrote that it is the first Marvel movie about something real.

NEW YORK (AP) — Afrofuturism is now at New York Fashion Week.

Marvel Studios sponsored a small Black Panther-inspired presentation, "Welcome to Wakanda," on Monday featuring designs by LaQuan Smith, Chromat, Wale Oyejide of the brand Ikire Jones, Fear of God and others, including the jewelry of Douriean Fletcher in a capsule collection.

There's a Black Panther party going on all around the country.

Superhero fans, movie fans and especially connoisseurs of black culture — American and African — are eagerly awaiting the debut of Marvel's "Black Panther" movie starring comic books' first black superhero with an enthusiasm not often seen in American cinema.