Actor Chadwick Boseman passed away on Friday night at the age of 43 due to colon cancer, stunning people around the world and prompting numerous tributes. Stephen Amell — a superhero in his own right — also weighed in and posted a tribute to Boseman on Twitter. He said that he had recently watched Captain America: Civil War and talked about the actor’s impact on the world of superheroes.
“I watched Civil War on Thursday night. Because I’m prepping and… because it’s an awesome movie. Chadwick was the character that lit the flame. The MCU is a cinematic masterpiece. I’m just sad,” Amell tweeted on Saturday. He joined the multitudes talking about Boseman’s impact on the world and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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The use of the words “I’m prepping” caught some fans by surprise, and they expressed the belief that Amell is secretly joining the MCU. However, others quickly clarified that the man who previously portrayed the Green Arrow was simply talking about his upcoming project. He is headlining a wrestling-centric show on STARZ called Heels.
One reason why Amell might watch Captain America: Civil War to prep for Heels — other than the fact that “it’s awesome” — is that the MCU film drew praise for its mix of fantastical and practical battles. The film featured several fights in numerous locales, including at airports and in markets. Many of these fights incorporated superpowers, but those focused on Captain America, Black Panther and the Winter Soldier were filled with acrobatic moves and hand-to-hand combat.
The upcoming drama series, Heels, revolves around the men and women trying to build careers in professional wrestling. The show is set in a Georgia community and follows a family-owned wrestling promotion. Amell plays the heel Jack Spade while Alexander Ludwing plays his brother and the hero character, Ace Spade. The two brothers clash over their late father’s legacy while facing off in the ring.
While Amell does have some experience in hand-to-hand combat given his time on Arrow and a wrestling match with Stardust. However, continuing to hone his craft and incorporate moves from other superheroes will only benefit Heels. This is especially true considering that one of the other actors, Allen Maldonado, plays an acrobatic wrestler known as Rooster.
“He’s the high-flying act, jumping off the top ropes, flipping off of people, flipping out of the ring, flipping into the ring, a la the character name of Rooster,” Maldonado told PopCulture in an exclusive interview. “He’s got a chip on his shoulder as a wrestler, so he also has to fend for himself, even though he feels the most talented out of the bunch.”
