Late “Black Panther” star Chadwick Boseman’s voice will be heard as the King of Wakanda one last time in “What If…?” the upcoming Disney+ animated series that reimagines different key moments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige told Emmy Magazine that Boseman “came in about four times and recorded numerous episodes” for “What If…?” which will involve popular Marvel Cinematic Universe characters in alternate histories from what we’ve previously seen in the films.
The series stars Jeffrey Wright as The Watcher, an omnipotent observer of infinite multiverses, including one in which Captain America’s beloved, Peggy Carter, takes the super-soldier serum and becomes a superhero herself. In another, which Boseman will star in, T’Challa is abducted by the space bandit Yondu instead of Peter Quill, leading to a universe in which Wakanda’s heir to the throne instead becomes Star-Lord and the leader of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
As with all of Boseman’s performances in the MCU, the actor performed his “What If…?” lines while diagnosed with advanced colon cancer, which he finally succumbed to at the age of 43 last August.
While juggling acting and cancer treatments, Boseman built a legacy as one of the most popular actors in Hollywood, capped with a generation-defining performance in “Black Panther” that led to $1.3 billion at the global box office, three Oscars and a Best Picture nomination, and a place in film history that redefined the power of representation for people of color in media.
Feige called Boseman’s commitment to T’Challa, even in the recording studio, “very moving” in hindsight. The actor’s performances in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “Da 5 Bloods” are powerful enough to make him a strong contender for not one but two posthumous Oscar nominations.
“What If…?” will premiere on Disney+ next summer. Watch the trailer for the series in the clip above.