People everywhere were shocked by the passing of Chadwick Boseman, who died following a private battle with colon cancer. The news was met with an outpouring of love and remembrance from both fans and people close to Boseman .
Marvel Studios are reportedly not looking for ways to replace the Black Panther role at this time, and are instead seeking opportunities to pay respect and tribute to the actor. Boseman had already recorded lines for Marvel's What If though, meaning he will have one final posthumous role as T'Challa.
One of these ways was through tribute artwork of Boseman, created by Heady of Visual Development at Marvel Studios Ryan Meinderding. Disney also released an ABC New Special named Chadwick Boseman - A Tribute for a King , which celebrated Boseman's life and career.
Another of these ways has been revealed, with a new piece of artwork paying tribute to Boseman's legacy...
NEWS
In a post to his Instagram , concept artist and former Disney Imagineer Nikkolas Smith unveiled artwork of Chadwick Boseman at Downtown Disney.
The art pays tribute to the late actor and his legacy as Black Panther, in addition to the impact that he had on children around the world.
The image was accompanied by the following caption by Smith:
This one is special. My King Chad tribute is now on a wall on display at Downtown Disney. 🐾 It is a full circle moment for me: my final two projects as a Disney Imagineer last summer were working on the Children’s Hospital project and the Avengers Campus.
To millions of kids, T'Challa was a legend larger than life, and there was no one more worthy to fill those shoes than Chadwick Boseman. I'm so thankful to be able to honor Chadwick's life and purpose in this way.
I am grateful to the Disney family for being so supportive of my journey as an artist.
Artist Nikkolas Smith reveals “King Chad” artwork at Downtown Disney District at the @Disneyland Resort. #DisneyParks #BlackPanther #ChadwickBoseman pic.twitter.com/QpOL3z69YW
The full artwork can also be seen here:
The tribute piece is a touching display of the impact that Chadwick Boseman had on the people around him, in spite of the struggles that he was privately dealing with. The artwork demonstrates the inspiration that Boseman had and will continue to have, embodying a character that many children now see themselves in.
It ultimately conveys Boseman's undeniable selflessness and dedication to do good, and that he was a superhero even when he was not portraying one on-screen.
Hopefully, Marvel Studios and Disney will continue to use their influence to honor Chadwick Boseman's life as they have been doing. Wakanda Forever.
