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Actor Chadwick Boseman, died today at his home in Los Angeles of colon cancer at the age of 43. Boseman was best known for playing Black Panther in the hit Marvel superhero franchise.

He was diagnosed with colon cancer in the year 2016 but did not make the information public. However, in April 2020, fans expressed their concern when some pictures of his dramatic weight loss surfaced on the internet. He did an Instagram live in which his leaner frame fetched attention.

His publicist wrote the following on Instagram:

"It is with immeasurable grief that we confirm the passing of Chadwick Boseman.

Chadwick was diagnosed with stage III colon cancer in 2016 and battled with it these last four years as it progressed to stage IV.

A real fighter, Chadwick persevered through it all, and brought you many of the films you have come to love so much. From Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy.

It was the honour of his career to bring King T'Challa to life in Black Panther.

He died in his home, with his wife and family by his side.

The family thanks you for your love and prayers, and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time."

Boseman was born in South Carolina and did his graduation from Howard University. He had small roles in television before his first-star turn in 2013. His noticeable portrayal of the stoic baseball star Robinson opposite Harrison Ford in 2013′s' 42' drew the attention of fans and critics. Boseman also portrayed US Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall in 2017′s Marshall. He took on his first producing job in last 2019's action thriller 21 Bridges. He also starred in this movie and was last seen on-screen in Spike Lee's film Da 5 Bloods as the leader of a group of Black soldiers in the Vietnam War.

Boseman will best be remembered for his role in Black Panther, 2018. Starring as the ruler of Wakanda, the film won critical praise and was a blockbuster worth $1.3 billion US dollars (£973m) at cinemas worldwide. The movie portrayed a fictional African nation with the most advanced technology on earth. The film was seen as a cultural milestone for having a mostly black cast and a black director.

Boseman said that the film had changed what it means to be "young, gifted and black".

With Boseman's untimely death, the future of Marvel's Black Panther 2 remains uncertain as production had not yet begun. The sequel was scheduled for release on May 6, 2022. On social media, fans have already started campaigning, stating they do not want anyone else other than Boseman as 'their king'.

Sadly, Chadwick passes away before the upcoming release of Netflix's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, an adaptation of the August Wilson play of the same name. According to reports, it is already expected that Boseman's role in the film would put him in the awards conversation.

Shahjadi Jemim Rahman