The world lost a great performer, a great icon, and a great human being this weekend withthe passingofChadwick Boseman, and Marvel Studios put together an emotional tribute video to the performer who, in their words, “will always be our King.”
Boseman was a versatile performer who didso muchwith the little time he had left on this Earth, but inarguably the biggest mark he left was with the character of T’Challa in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. From Black Panther’s first appearance inCaptain America: Civil Warall the way up throughthebiggest applause moment inAvengers: Endgame, Boseman commanded the screen as the Marvel superhero. But as is echoed by his co-stars and filmmakers in this tribute video, Boseman never took the role of Black Panther for granted. This was not a flippant cash grab or just another superhero. Boseman knew full-well that Black Panther had the opportunity to become a role model for Black children across the globe, and commanded the role with all the gravity and sincerity it required – forcing his co-stars to up their game when it came time to shootBlack Panther.
That Boseman filmed the history-making superhero movie all while battling a deadly illness of his own is a testament to his character. Again, he knew how importantBlack Pantherhad the potential to be, and his efforts were not in vain.
In the emotional tribute video below, Marvel has culled together BTS footage and EPK interviews withBlack Pantherco-stars, filmmakerRyan Coogler, producerNate Moore, and Marvel’sKevin Feigeas well as MCU stalwarts likeRobert Downey Jr.,Scarlett Johansson, andChris Evans. This footage was recorded before anyone knew Boseman was sick, which makes their sentiments all the more impactful. You can absolutely feel the reverence and respect and love they had for Boseman as a human, performer and role model.
Chadwick Boseman’s death is a tragedy, but his life is cause for celebration. He gave so much with so little time.
