Marvel is honoring Chadwick Boseman with an emotional tribute video after the 43-year-old Black Panther star died from colon cancer on Friday.
The studio cut together a heartbreaking collection of interviews with costars like Michael B Jordan, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans and Robert Downey of Jr., as well as behind the scenes footage of the actor throughout his films in the MCU.
On Sunday night, Marvel tweeted out the video which was viewed 8.5 million times in the first 12 hours and garnered hundreds of thousands of ‘likes’ by fans reeling from the loss of the actor.
Rest in power: Marvel is honoring Chadwick Boseman with an emotional tribute video after the 43-year-old Black Panther star died from colon cancer on Friday
‘You will always be our King,’ Marvel Studios tweeted along with the video.
The heart wrenching tribute shared behind the scenes clips of the late 43-year-old actor from Black Panther and the Avengers films.
Spliced between the clips were interviews with Boseman’s colleagues and costars who all spoke in awe of Chadwick’s exceptional talent and warmth.
Chadwick is an amazing actor who we thought would fit perfecting with the MCU [Marvel Cinematic Universe],’ said Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios.
‘You will always be our King,’ Marvel Studios tweeted on Sunday with the video which was viewed 8.5 million times in the first 12 hours
T’Challa: The studio cut together a heartbreaking collection of interviews with costars like Michael B Jordan, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans and Robert Downey of Jr., as well as behind the scenes footage of the actor throughout his films in the MCU
Shock: On Friday, Boseman’s family released a statement revealing that the 43-year-old had passed away after a quiet four-year battle with colon cancer
The interviews appeared to have been filmed contemporaneously with the release of the movies, long before his unexpected passing last week.
‘What doesn’t Chadwick bring to the character?’ asked Lupita Nyong’o of his role as T’Challa. ‘He wore the crown with dignity.’
‘Chadwick is just a powerhouse,’ Chris Evans said.
Along with footage of the filming of Black Panther, the video also included clips of the jaw-dropping press tour where thousands of fans clamored to catch a glimpse of the actor.
Beloved: Spliced between the clips were interviews with Boseman’s colleagues and costars who all spoke in awe of Chadwick’s exceptional talent and warmth (Michael B Jordan and Lupita Nyong’o pictured)
‘When I looked at him with proud eyes they were as mother and also as comrade and colleague,’ Angela Bassett reflected
Angela Bassett, his on screen mother in the film, said that there was just ‘warmth and camaraderie’ when you worked with the South Carolina native.
‘When I looked at him with proud eyes they were as mother and also as comrade and colleague,’ she reflected.
Following his death, Bassett took too social media with a touching statement about her friend: ‘It was meant to be for Chadwick and me to be connected, for us to be family.’
She added: ‘This young man’s dedication was awe-inspiring, his smile contagious, his talent unreal.’
Before: The interviews appeared to have been filmed contemporaneously with the release of the movies, prior to his unexpected passing last week
Following his death, Bassett took too social media with a touching statement about her friend: ‘It was meant to be for Chadwick and me to be connected, for us to be family.’
‘Chadwick is just a powerhouse,’ Chris Evans said.
Marvel’s video ends with Chadwick speaking in his own words along with clips of him embracing his co-stars.
He said: ‘It’s fun to watch just what it means to people. At times I would be in my head and be like, “what is it – is it actually valuable in this climate?”‘
‘And i have to say, yes, yes it is,’ Chadwick continued to the camera. ‘Not because it makes people escape. I think when done right it gives people hope. I found that it means a lot.’
The 43-year-old superhero died after a secret four-year battle with colon cancer during which he was still acting in a handful of movies, never once letting on he was suffering any health problems.
Shattered: The 43-year-old superhero died after a secret four-year battle with colon cancer during which he was still acting in a handful of movies, never once letting on he was suffering any health problems
Legendary: Boseman made history playing the very first Black superhero in any Marvel Comic film
Loved: Marvel’s tribute video ends with Chadwick speaking in his own words along with clips of him embracing his co-stars (Pictured with Mark Ruffalo)
His passing was revealed in a Tweet from his own social media account that went on to become the most ‘liked’ in the history of the social media platform.
Since his passing there has been an outpouring of love for the actor from fans, friends and his former costars who are all grieving his loss.
‘He was the epitome of kindness, elegance, diligence and grace,’ actress Danai Gurira wrote.
Adding: ‘On many an occasion I would think how thankful I was that he was the leading man I was working closely with. A true class act.’
With Stan Lee: His role as King T’Challa in Black Panther, propelled the film to be the first superhero film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards as it received a slew of nominations in 2018
Awestruck: Along with footage of the filming of Black Panther, the video also included clips of the jaw-dropping press tour where thousands of fans clamored to catch a glimpse of the actor
Tragic: Since his passing there has been an outpouring of love for the actor from fans, friends and his former costars who are all grieving his loss
President Obama also spoke out about Chadwick on Saturday, after Boseman had come to the White House in 2013 to work with kids during the time he was playing Jackie Robinson in the movie 42.
‘Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson. You could tell right away that he was blessed.
‘To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain – what a use of his years,’ Obama tweeted.
Boseman made history playing the very first Black superhero in any Marvel Comic film.
‘It’s fun to watch just what it means to people. At times I would be in my head and be like, “what is it – is it actually valuable in this climate?”‘ Chadwick says in the video
‘And i have to say, yes, yes it is,’ Chadwick continued to the camera. ‘Not because it makes people escape. I think when done right it gives people hope. I found that it means a lot.’
His role as King T’Challah in Black Panther, propelled the film to be the first superhero film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards as it received a slew of nominations in 2018.
Viewings of the 2018 film have surged across streaming platforms following Boseman’s shocking death.
As of Sunday morning, the Marvel film shot to the third slot on Amazon’s best-selling movies list, and is in the ‘top five most popular films on Apple and Amazon charts,’ according to Deadline.
With $700 million in grosses, the Oscar-winning film remains the second-highest grossing superhero movie of all time.
‘Chadwick came to the White House to work with kids when he was playing Jackie Robinson. You could tell right away that he was blessed. To be young, gifted, and Black; to use that power to give them heroes to look up to; to do it all while in pain – what a use of his years,’ President Obama tweeted in his tribute of the star