Chadwick Boseman is a relative newcomer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as his debut in the role of Black Panther was less than a year ago in Captain America: Civil War. And yet, much like any other debuting hero in Marvel's ever growing film canon, the actor has found himself very easily carrying out the role of hero in reality. This much is evident in his recent visit to a young man who was diagnosed with terminal cancer, which not only brightened the patient's day, but showed just how well Boseman is fitting into the MCU stable of stars.
The young patient Chadwick Boseman visited in the Atlanta area is Ian Hopgood, who has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor. With his favorite hero being Black Panther, and Boseman currently making his solo movie in Marvel Studio's Atlanta facilities, the actor took time out of his schedule to bring gifts to Hopgood's hospital. But, the most heartwarming part about the visit was the fact that Boseman also got to spend the entire afternoon with Ian, which also included autographs and getting to know each other.
The photos accompanying the Fox 5 Atlanta item describing Chadwick Boseman's visit are an amazing reminder of what good celebrities can do when it comes to fans in need. And Boseman's in good company, as history has seen Chris Pratt and Chris Evans visiting sick fans as well - not to mention, fellow MCU members Tom Holland, Chris Hemsworth, and Tom Hiddleston all doing just the same in their own capacities. Though don't go thinking the DC Comics side of the house hasn't done the same, as Ben Affleck was seen a couple months ago visiting some sick admirers. At this point, it looks like if you're going to be an on-screen superhero/villain, it's a unspoken rite of passage to brighten the day of those in need.
It's a good precedent to set, as folks like Chadwick Boseman tend to directly or indirectly embody the heroism that we all know and love out of our favorite heroes. When you've got children seriously upset that Captain America's comic incarnation turned out to be a HYDRA agent, you can tell that the comics have permeated pop culture to a point where the heroes of the screen mean make their paper counterparts more significant than they have been in past eras. Not to mention this entire exercise is just another reason to like Boseman, as his acting chops and general amiability have always had us in his corner. But to see the Black Panther reaching out to one of his sick fans is something that just makes his image all the better.
Black Panther claws into theaters on February 16, 2018, and Boseman will be reprising the role a few months after that in The Avengers: Infinity War, which is set to come out in May 2018 and is also currently in production.
