US actor Chadwick Boseman, best known for playing Black Panther in the hit Marvel superhero franchise, has died of cancer.

US actor Chadwick Boseman, best known for playing Black Panther in the hit Marvel superhero franchise, has died of cancer.

The 43-year-old died at home in Los Angeles with his family by his side.

Boseman had not spoken publicly about his diagnosis.

Tributes have already begun pouring in for the star, including from actor Mark Ruffalo and director Jordan Peele, who tweeted “This is a crushing blow”.

As well as winning critical praise for the film Black Panther and taking more than $1.3 billion US dollars (£973m) at cinemas worldwide, the film was widely seen as a cultural milestone for having a largely black cast and a black director.

Boseman said last year that the film had changed what it means to be “young, gifted and black”.

Black Panther was the first superhero film to get a nomination for best picture at the Oscars.