Chadwick Boseman can be heard as T’Challa in Marvel’s What If…?. This is his final performance and so it was very important to honor him.
Chadwick Boseman is now gone, and his final performance as T’Challa is in the upcoming Disney+ series Marvel’s What If…? where the story of him being plucked from Earth instead of Peter Quill is explored. In a recent press conference, Director Bryan Andrews discusses how important it was that they honor the character, as well as Chadwick himself.
Since this is an animated show, that meant that the behind the scenes folks were able to run lines with the cast, and he remembers how amazing it was to run them with Chadwick. At the time, they were unaware that he was battling a deadly disease, and he never would show it. Chadwick was always a great guy, to everyone that he met.
“It was amazing being able to work with [Chadwick]. We only got a small moment because our episodes are so short, compared to everyone who was able to enjoy his presence on Black Panther, or even on Civil War. We had him for a little moment, to do our thing, and we’re so grateful for it.” – Bryan Andrews
Bryan says that Chadwick was one of the first live action actors to sign on to voice their animated counterpart, and added just how excited they were about it. “He really wanted to do it like a play – reading the scene descriptions in between and really build it out like a play. Because that’s how he’s trained, that’s what he’s comfortable with, and that’s what he wanted to do. It was so much fun being able to do that. We got to basically read lines with Chadwick Boseman.”
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“He was a hero.” Bryan continues, as he explains that putting together that episode was difficult at time. The team made sure that everything in the episode would honor the character, and honor Chadwick, from the music, to the dialogue. “A normal work meeting would become emotional. It’s still rough.” he continues, before admitting that he is getting emotional just talking about it.
Jeffrey Wright, who voices The Watcher in the series, wanted to touch on Chadwick as well. He explains that they met at comic con in the bathroom, and that he was a fantastic man and they had a great exchange. “He said some wonderful things.”
“This being the last performance that we’ll get from him, I find it very moving. The thing that strikes me most about what he does [in What If…?], and what he’s done with the films is that they are films about heroism — and what we all discovered is the mythic quality that he brought to the performances paled in comparison to the mythic quality of his life.” Jeffrey explains, “I am pleased to have shared a little bit of time with him.” – Jeffrey Wright
Chadwick Boseman can be heard in Marvel’s What If…? which premiers on Disney+ August 11th.
About Marvel’s What If…?
“What If…?” flips the script on the MCU, reimagining famous events from the films in unexpected ways. Marvel Studios’ first animated series focuses on different heroes from the MCU, featuring a voice cast that includes a host of stars who reprise their roles. The series is directed by Bryan Andrews; AC Bradley is head writer.
Marvel’s What If…? comes to Disney+ on August 11th.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.