New Mural at the Disneyland Resort Pays Tribute to Chadwick Boseman

A beautiful tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman is now on display at the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort. Designed by former Disney Imagineer and current concept artist Nikkolas Smith, the mural titled “King Chad,” can now be seen by guests. 

Posting to his Instagram, Smith — who most recently worked on Avengers Campus for Walt Disney Imagineering — writes, “To millions of kids, T'Challa was a legend larger than life, and there was no one more worthy to fill those shoes than Chadwick Boseman. I'm so thankful to be able to honor Chadwick's life and purpose in this way.”

Boseman passed away in late August after a battle with colon cancer, a struggle he kept private. Following his death, numerous tributes becan pouring in highlighting the passion and love he brought to every project, including Marvel Studios’ Black Panther. 

An inscription at the mural, from Smith, reads: “Seeing Chadwick's heart for people in-person, and later discovering his courageous battle with cancer, I was inspired to create this tribute to honor his life and legacy. To us, he was and will always be T'Challa. Long Live The King.”

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler also paid tribute to Boseman, penning an emotional statement writing following the actor's death, “He lived a beautiful life. And he made great art. Day after day, year after year. That was who he was. He was an epic firework display. I will tell stories about being there for some of the brilliant sparks till the end of my days. What an incredible mark he’s left for us.” You can read Coogler’s full statement here.