Which Marvel hero has shown up in more films than any of the Avengers or the X-Men? That’s right, it’s the one and only Stan Lee, who’d been a fixture of nearly every production from the House of Ideas for the past two decades. Whether it was released by Disney, Fox or Sony, the industry legend was always welcome to appear for a cameo in the latest film based on the franchise that he gave birth to, and nearly every single time he popped up, it was a treat for fans.
Known primarily for creating such iconic characters as Spider-Man, Hulk, Doctor Strange, the Fantastic Four and so many other great Marvel heroes and villains, Lee also became the undisputed king of cameos in his lifetime. From Captain America: Civil War and The Defenders to this year’s Avengers: Infinity War, not a Marvel movie – or TV show! – released without featuring some cute nod to the all-around industry legend, be it in the form of a well-placed poster or actual appearance.
And now that Stan Lee has tragically passed away, Deadline’s put together a little gallery that allows us to look back on all of his many, many cameos. It should be noted that only those times where he showed up in the flesh are included here, so there may be a few productions missing that just featured a poster of Lee or something similar. However, with over 30 cameos to browse through, you’re sure to find a few of your favorites.
Though Lee may be gone, it’s already been confirmed that he’s shot his cameos for Avengers 4, Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home, meaning we still have at least a few more opportunities to see him up on the big screen. And though the MCU may have its bases covered, it seems that Fox isn’t so forward-thinking.
Dark Phoenix, for instance, won’t feature a Lee cameo, as the studio is said to be taking “a more grounded, gritty approach” to the film. We’ll see how that works out for them when the movie’s eventually released next year, but in the meantime, fans can take comfort in the fact that Stan Lee‘s legacy and creations will always live on and the man himself will be seen in cinemas several times throughout the course of 2019.
