'Black Panther' fans have a field day over small town dubbed the real-life 'Wakanda'
— -- "Black Panther" mania seems to have reached every corner of the map and one small town is getting lots of attention for its Marvel-ous name.
Wauconda, Illinois, is a small town about 40 miles northwest of Chicago with less than 14,000 residents.
But the charming Midwest town is not to be confused with the fictional east African nation Wakanda from "Black Panther," although some super fans are having fun with the comparison.
"Someone called and asked how we pronounced the village name and when I told him, he began yelling, 'Wakanda forever!' which I am guessing is from the film," Alise Homola, executive assistant to Wauconda's mayor, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Residents of Wauconda told ABC News they are embracing the attention and are hoping it could give their small town a boost.
"Hopefully it'll draw in some more business for us," John Berry said of the uptick in interest. "This is kind of a destination location, anyway. It's got great restaurants and everything, so hopefully it'll bring more people into the town of Wauconda because it's a magical kingdom."
Wauconda resident Lexie Johnson said she no longer has to tell strangers that she's from Chicago.
Another resident, who is a fan of the Marvel movie, joked about the comparison between the real-life suburb and fictional nation.
Patrick Johnson said he predicted his town's spike in popularity following the movie's record-breaking opening weekend at the box office.
"Wacaunda is a small town, and we don't get a lot of attention so it's nice to be on the big screen," resident Vivian Cossey said.
Both Marvel Studios and ABC News are owned by Disney.
