LOS ANGELES, Nov 14 — From Hulk and The Avengers to Spider-Man and Black Panther, Stan Lee took great pleasure in making fleeting appearances in movies from the Marvel cinematic universe, alongside the very superheroes he created. His cameos became cult spots for all Marvel fans, who always had an eye out for “Stan the Man”. In fact, Lee featured in close to 30 movies and features in upcoming films such as Captain Marvel, coming in 2019.
Lee, often dubbed the “Father of Marvel”, died Monday, age 95, leaving an entire superhero empire and millions of fans in mourning. A legendary figure in the world of comics, “Stan the Man” was responsible for creating cult superheroes such as Spider-Man, the X-Men, Thor, Iron Man and Hulk. His star status was sealed right from his very first cameo appearances in Marvel’s movies. These fleeting bit parts proved the delight of comic book enthusiasts, who always looked forward to spotting him in a film.
From 1989 to 2019?
Lee made his first cameo in 1989 in the TV movie The Trial of the Incredible Hulk, in which he featured as a member of the jury. Following this first appearance, the superhero creator continued to make brief cameos in various projects from the comic book universe, effectively becoming the face of Marvel.
After the success of the 2000 X-Men movie, Lee’s cameos took on another dimension. In that film, he played a hot-dog seller on the beach. From then on, with the growing appetite for superhero movies, walk-ons from the character creator seemed to become a prerequisite for filmmakers. In 2002, he stepped on set again for Spider-Man, in which he protects a little girl during the Green Goblin’s attack. In 2003’s Daredevil, the Matt Murdock character just manages to save Stan Lee from getting knocked down by a bus. And it was the 2003 Hulk movie that offered Lee his first speaking role. Former Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno also makes a cameo appearance in the film.
“Stan the Man” revealed his favourite cameo in a 2018 interview with the Marvel HQ YouTube channel: “I think the cameo that’s my favourite is the one I did for Thor [in Avengers: Age of Ultron in 2015]. I’m standing at a bar with him and he’s drinking this Asgardian drink which is very powerful. And I ask for a sip and he says ‘No, it would kill you.’ And I insist and he gives me a sip, and in the next scene they’re carrying me out.” Lee goes on to explain that this is his favourite cameo because he appears in not one but two scenes.
Despite his death, fans of Marvel movies can expect to see the legendary Lee in the upcoming films Captain Marvel, Avengers 4 and Spider-Man: Far From Home, out in 2019. He can also be spotted in Venom, in theatres now. — AFP-Relaxnews
