ALEXANDRIA, Va. — In an effort to support Black culture, the Alfred Street Baptist Church (ASBC) in Alexandria, Virginia bought out eight showings of the new Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie, according to a press release from ASBC.
The purchase is for the 6-7 p.m. showings of the new Black Panther movie on Nov. 11 in all eight theaters in the IPIC North Bethesda theater. The purchase of the eight showings is equivalent to buying 784 seats in the IPIC theater, the church said in a release.
The church purchased the showings so members could experience a private showing of the highly anticipated movie and ASBC said the seats sold out the first day they were offered to members. Members paid $25 for a ticket which also included an entree from a pre-selected menu, unlimited beverages, unlimited popcorn and a box of candy of their choice, according to an ASBC official.
“We are proud to support this film in honor of the late Chadwick Boseman, who himself is and was a superhero to Black culture,” said Rev. Dr. Howard-John Wesley, ASBC senior pastor.
This is not the first time this theater has done this. According to an official from ASBC, the church did something similar when the first Black Panther movie came out at the Hoffman AMC theater in Alexandria, Virginia. This is all part of their 'Faith and Film' series, the official said.
Black Panther took the Marvel Cinematic Universe by storm and became a sensation beyond just superhero fans. WUSA9 previously reported that Chadwick Boseman's Black Panther suit will be making its way to D.C. in the spring.
The suit will be displayed in the 'Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures' exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. The exhibit will go on display on March 24, 2023, and will run through March 2024.
Read more from WUSA9: