Yes, Robert Downey Jr. Is Perfect as Iron Man, but This Is the MCU’s Best Hero Casting Decision

From the movie stars who adorned the capes and tights to the filmmakers who helmed the $300+ million projects to the man who was in charge of it all — Kevin Feige — many people have been lavished with credit for the role they played in making Marvel into the unprecedented Hollywood behemoth it became in the 2010s. But, there’s one crucial group that’s gone somewhat overlooked, who may have been the true unsung heroes all along. From the very beginning, Marvel’s casting departments played a massive role in the success of the MCU.

Starting with their controversial decision to tap Robert Downey Jr. to star in Iron Man, Marvel has struck gold with their casting choices time and time again throughout their dominant run. While Downey Jr. is often cited as MCU’s most important casting — due to the tremendous impact his portrayal of Iron Man had on establishing the franchise’s tone that permeated all of the 30+ films that would follow — Marvel’s best casting decision remains bringing on the late, great Chadwick Boseman to play T’Challa, better known as Black Panther.

Chadwick Boseman Helped Make ‘Black Panther’ a Cultural Phenomenon

First things first, anyone who has seen Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, or, of course, Black Panther, knows that Boseman did amazing work in his magnetic, dignified, and regal portrayal of T’Challa. That alone is not what makes him Marvel’s best ever casting, though. What cements him as the MCU’s best hero casting is the work he did, in the face of a lot of pressure, alongside Ryan Coogler to make Black Panther a genuine cultural phenomenon that elevated the MCU to new, unseen heights — even when it was already at its peak.

Boseman joined the MCU after it had already taken its place as unquestionably the biggest franchise in Hollywood. He first appeared in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, which, at the time, debuted with the third-highest opening weekend of any MCU movie — and highest among all non-Avengers movies. Immediately, the character of T’Challa, and Boseman’s performance, sparked interest in audiences. Creating an entire movie around Boseman was unfortunately a bit of a challenge, though, as this was still around a time when more ignorant industry executives believed that Black and female-led superhero films wouldn’t perform well at the box office. According to Bob Iger‘s memoir, The Ride of a Lifetime, former Marvel heads were opposed to films like Black Panther and Captain Marvel, believing they would be financial disappointments and that merchandise tied to the films wouldn’t sell. Thankfully, these bigoted, problematic, and wrongheaded beliefs didn’t stop those films from being made. Still, though, in the lead up to Black Panther, there was a fair amount of pressure on Boseman as the public-facing leader of the film.

Chadwick Boseman’s ‘Black Panther’ Won an Oscar

Playing the first leading Black superhero of the modern Marvel era was always going to come with a major spotlight attached to it. Boseman didn’t shy away from the great responsibility and the attention that came with it. Instead, he handled his leadership role with grace and enthusiasm, and even championed a lot of the decisions that helped make Black Panther as meaningful as it went on to be. For instance, in preparation for the character’s initial appearance in Captain America: Civil War, Boseman fought to keep T’Challa’s accent grounded in his African roots, rather than listen to certain Marvel behind-the-scenes figures who were pushing for a British or American accent. Boseman ultimately winning this fight opened the door for the Black Panther cast to use a range of authentic accents in the film.

Aided by Boseman’s anchoring lead performance, and the incredible work done by Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger, Coogler turned Black Panther into something beyond the typical, formulaic superhero story. The film had more weight and more insights into real-world conflicts than any other MCU offering up until that point, or since. Boseman and Coogler fighting for creative control, and the choices they made, directly led to the film resonating so deeply with so many people. It also led to the MCU being perceived differently by many, including the Academy, as Black Panther was the first film in the franchise to win an Oscar and remains the only one to ever receive a Best Picture nomination. Simply put, that wouldn’t have happened without Boseman.

There Was No Other Choice for Black Panther in the MCU

In a Vulture retrospective following Boseman’s passing, veteran MCU casting director Sarah Halley Finn said the following: “In different projects at Marvel, we’ve had very extensive searches where we’ll see literally thousands of people for a role. But when it came to casting Black Panther, it was unanimous.” As an actor who was introduced to mainstream audiences through playing real-life Black heroes like Jackie Robinson, James Brown, and Thurgood Marshall, Boseman was uniquely suited to play this powerful fictional hero. Both on screen and off, he embodied the strength, pride, and nobleness of T’Challa. While many of Marvel’s casting decisions are praised for being a risk that paid off greatly, Boseman wasn’t just the right choice for Black Panther — he was the only choice. We should all feel grateful that Marvel didn’t take a risk on that one.

In the wake of his passing, Boseman’s absence is felt profoundly in the MCU and the film world at large. He was one of the finest actors of his generation, who turned in so many remarkable performances throughout his tragically short career. Due to how much it meant to so many people, Black Panther will probably be the character he is most remembered for. It takes a certain caliber of star to lead something as lasting and impactful as Black Panther, but Boseman’s eagerness and unmatched ability to do so are all the proof needed that he was, in fact, Marvel’s best casting choice ever.