Last week, actor Chadwick Boseman passed away due to colon cancer at the age of 43. He had a number of notable roles over the past decade, but he’s best known for his portrayal of Black Panther in the modern Marvel films. As Fortnite‘s Marvel crossover rolls on, a massive tribute to the character has just appeared in-game – though Epic says the timing is purely coincidental.
You’ll find a massive new Black Panther statue at the new Panther’s Prowl POI just west of Misty Meadows. It’s part of a series of new points of interest that have hit the game over the past week, including the Ant-Man themed Ant Manor and the Trask Transport truck. The Black Panther POI was certainly in development before Boseman’s passing, but if you thought Epic might’ve pushed it forward in tribute, the company says that’s not the case.
“As with the rest of the world, we were greatly saddened to learn of the passing of actor Chadwick Boseman”, an Epic rep tells Kotaku. “The Black Panther monument arrived this morning as part of a previously-planned narrative for the new Chapter 2 – Season 4 season.”
As with most Fortnite updates, the new POIs leaked ahead of launch. You can get a closer look at Panther’s Prowl below.
The Panther Monument LEAKED in-game pic.twitter.com/uEFkzmAvzQ
— FortTory – Fortnite Leaks & News (@FortTory) September 1, 2020
Whether or not the monument was just a bit of coincidental timing, it’s a lovely little way to say ‘Wakanda forever’.