Although Stan Lee has been dead since 2018, Marvel Studios and POW! A new deal between Entertainment could indicate that the legendary comic book creator will appear in multiple Marvel-branded projects in the near future. POW! The entertainment company, which Stan Lee co-founded in 2001 and was subsequently sued in 2018 for allegedly forging his signature on legal documents, has signed licensing deals with Genius Brands and Marvel Studios to grant Hollywood The giant’s rights project to use Lee’s likeness in an upcoming film.
In a press release about the 20-year agreement, Genius Brands CEO and Chairman Andy Heyward expressed “the extremely valuable rights to Stan Lee’s name, likeness, merchandise and intellectual property brands. ” of pride.
“There’s no better place than Marvel and Disney where Stan should go to see his movies and theme park experiences,” Hayward said. “As we enter the centenary of Stan’s birth on December 28, 2022, we It’s great to see his memory and legacy continue to delight fans through a new long-term deal with Marvel.”
In the years and months leading up to his death in 2018, Stan Lee’s life was riddled with scandalous allegations of elder abuse and what appeared to stem from his being hoped to honor the X-Men co-founder’s name Surrounded by financial distress. Lee to POW! In the lawsuit, co-founder Gill Champion and CEO Shane Duffy struck a deal in 2018 — using a supposedly stolen signature — to use his likeness, which the 95-year-old believed at the time was non-exclusive . POW! Insisting that Lee’s claims were “completely baseless,” the lawsuit was eventually dropped months before Lee’s death. Champion said of Lee in today’s press release that he sees the licensing agreement as a way to honor him.
“As a longtime business partner and friend of Stan, I look forward to honoring his work in this new way,” Champion said, “It’s important to us to connect with his fans and it’s an honor to be able to do so on his behalf. “
For some time now, Hollywood has been very keen to use digital facsimiles of deceased celebrities to keep their living fans engaged and consuming content, but it’s unclear if Lee will continue to make cameos in Marvel movies. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Hayward said that while he and others have always focused on preserving the legacy, what determines how the public accepts future depictions of Lee is the intent behind it. “
Hayward said: “Audiences look up to Stan, and if it has taste and taste and respects who he is, it will be welcomed. He is a beloved character and will remain Marvel long after you and I are gone. essence.”