When the result was read on Sunday night that Green Book had won the Academy Award for Best Picture, there were many eyebrows raised online, and while Spike Lee’s heavily circulated response to the verdict has channeled the feelings of many a Twitter user, the reaction of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman has proven similarly meme-worthy.
As you’ll see in the below GIF, the MCU star turned around while the award was given out with an expression that suggests he may not think too highly of the outcome. Maybe he was hoping that Black Panther would go all the way with its Best Picture nomination, maybe he thought Roma would win it like the rest of us did, or maybe we’re all just projecting and the look on his face doesn’t really mean what we think it does. But regardless, the image has been widely shared as a reflection of the general response to Green Book’s moment of triumph.
— ✶ Ⓜ️𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤 ▶️ ✶ (@_MarcusD3_) February 25, 2019
Peter Farrelly’s drama was a controversial winner for many reasons, but from the perspective of the Marvel fandom, the result was disappointing for the victory it denied Black Panther. That being said, the fact that Ryan Coogler’s film was nominated at all for Best Picture marks a first for superhero cinema, and despite missing out on the top prize, the movie still found much success on the night, taking home the awards for Best Costume Design, Best Production Design and Best Original Score.
With those three wins, Black Panther now holds the record for most Oscars nabbed by a superhero movie, as well as being the first MCU film to win any Academy Awards. Expectations are high for the upcoming sequel then, but in the meantime, Marvel will be kicking off its 2019 released slate when Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 8th.