Chadwick Boseman Documentary in the Works from ‘Super/Man’ Studio

Words + Pictures, the documentary studio known for projects like Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story, The Kingdom, and Celtics City, is now working on a new film about the life and legacy of Chadwick Boseman.

Boseman was one of the most loved actors of his generation, known for bringing powerful and historic figures to the screen. He played James Brown, Thurgood Marshall, and Jackie Robinson, but he became a global icon for his role as T’Challa, the Black Panther, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Throughout his career, he earned many award nominations and left a lasting mark on Hollywood.

In 2016, Boseman was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer, which later progressed to stage IV. He never spoke publicly about his illness and only a few people outside of his family knew about his battle. “Only a handful of non-family members knew that Boseman was sick… with varying degrees of knowledge about the severity of [his] condition,” wrote reports.

Even while receiving treatment, including surgeries and chemotherapy, he continued acting and finished films like Marshall, Da 5 Bloods, and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Boseman died on August 28, 2020, at the age of 43, at his home in Los Angeles with his wife and family by his side. His death led to an outpouring of grief and tributes around the world.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige said his passing was “absolutely devastating,” adding, “Each time he stepped on set, he radiated charisma and joy, and each time he appeared on screen, he created something truly indelible… Now he takes his place as an icon for the ages.”

His alma mater, Howard University, honored him by saying “his incredible talent will forever be immortalized through his characters and through his own personal journey from student to superhero.” Many of his co-stars, athletes, and public figures also remembered him.

Even Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Dodgers released statements in his honor, noting the impact of his performance as Jackie Robinson.

The day after his death, the announcement posted by his family on Twitter became the most-liked tweet in history, gathering millions of likes within hours. His passing was compared to other shocking celebrity deaths in 2020, such as Kobe Bryant and Naya Rivera, because of the wide impact it had across the world.

Boseman’s legacy also inspired new acts of remembrance. A Change.org petition was started to replace a Confederate statue in his hometown of Anderson, South Carolina, with a statue of him. It quickly surpassed its goal with tens of thousands of signatures. In his home state, Governor Henry McMaster ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in his memory.

ABC honored him the same week by airing a special commercial-free broadcast of Black Panther, followed by a tribute program titled Chadwick Boseman – A Tribute for a King.

Now, with Words + Pictures preparing a documentary about his life and career, audiences will get a chance to revisit his journey on screen and the impact he left behind.

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