Top 10 Stan Lee Cameos

Today would have been Stan Lee’s 100th birthday. He truly became a part of the worlds he created, lending that beloved sense of warmth and excitement wherever he popped up.

On November 12, 2018, the world lost a comic book legend when Stan Lee passed away. Although this was a deeply saddening loss, we as True Believers can’t help but celebrate the legacy he put into place through his work at Marvel, and in the realm of fandom overall. His larger than life spirit lives on across Marvel films, comics, TV shows, and video games plus … a DC movie?

Known to most as the King of Cameos, Stan’s bright personality will live on in countless stories. In honor of Stan “The Man” Lee’s lifetime of achievement, let’s count down the Top 10 Stan Lee cameos.

HONORABLE MENTION: Teen Titans Go! To the Movies

In this animated “superhero movie to end all superhero movies,” Stan Lee makes a gratuitous cameo as the Teen Titans wander the Warner Bros. film lot.

This is Lee’s only DC movie cameo, which is pointed out to him in the film to humorous effect. But the King of Cameos decides that any attention is good attention, even in the wrong license, so he utters his famous “Excelsior!” to end this riotous guest spot.

10. Avengers: Age of Ultron

In this second Avengers film, Stan Lee appears as a war veteran attending Tony Stark’s party. While the Avengers mingle, Thor boasts of the strength of the Asgardian mead he has on hand, saying it’s more than any mortal could handle. Stan quips that he can’t be scared by the hero’s warnings, and takes a drink of the godly booze. He’s later seen being carried out of the party, slurring his famous “Excelsior!” catchphrase.

Before he passed, Lee stated this was one of his favorite cameos to film because he “got to film two scenes.” Cheers, Stan.

9. Big Hero 6

Many fans wondered if Stan Lee would make a cameo in this animated Disney film, which is in fact based on a lesser-known Marvel property.

He had a static cameo within a portrait in Fred’s house in the film, but he appeared in voice and in likeness during a post-credits scene of Big Hero 6, making this his first animated feature-film cameo at the time.

8. Spider-Man PS4

Stan Lee has also made lots of video game cameos, such as his heartwarming part in Insomniac’s Spider-Man video game for the PlayStation 4. Lee makes an appearance in a cutscene that’s so detailed in animation that it looks like Lee in live-action. While Mary Jane Watson and Peter Parker try to sort out their differences in a local diner, trouble calls Peter away.

As Mary Jane pays the bill and watches Peter leave, Stan Lee steps in as the short-order cook who remarks, “Love seeing you two back together again. You always were my favorites.” This meta-moment puts Lee face to face with his own creations, and gives Marvel’s world of New York an endearing nod to comics history.

7. The Avengers

Lee actually filmed multiple scenes for this film, although one cameo was cut from the final release. The one that makes it in features Stan the Man as a super hero skeptic following the incident in Manhattan.

Considering the sheer scope of this film, surpassing everything the MCU had previously managed, this cameo is especially humorous coming from Stan Lee himself.

6. Mallrats

Stan Lee’s cameo in this screwball/stoner comedy just has to be seen to be fully appreciated. Far before the days of the MCU, Lee makes his cameo in Mallrats as a pseudo-mentor to Jason Lee’s character in the film.

It’s more of an extended cameo/supporting role in the film that includes a lot of awkward knowledge about … well, the mechanics of super hero anatomy. You’ll see what we mean when you watch the film.

5. Captain America: Civil War

Stan Lee’s cameos often manage to inject a lot of humor into tense moments of action or drama in the MCU films. His cameo in Captain America: Civil War breaks some tension between Tony Stark and James Rhodes following the devastating airport fight between teams Cap and Iron Man.

As a FedEx delivery man, Stan Lee misreads a package and asks for the residence of “Tony Stank.” Rhodey, of course, never let Tony forget this new alias.

4. Thor: Ragnarok

Where better for Stan Lee to appear in Thor: Ragnarok than Sakaar, the planet that pays homage to the most classic of Thor designs and styles? Stan the Man appears as a member of the Grandmaster’s crew in the gladiator arena, responsible for shearing Thor’s luscious golden locks with his less-than-steady hands.

Not many men can make Thor, God of Thunder, beg for mercy like Stan Lee does.

3. Spider-Man 3

Regardless of your feelings on Spider-Man 3, this Stan Lee cameo might be one of the most touching moments, as Stan interacts with one of his favorite Marvel creations. While looking at a marquee thanking Spider-Man for his heroics, Stan says to civilian Peter Parker, “You know, I guess one person can make a difference.”

This line captures the core and heart of all of Stan Lee’s heroic characters — beyond the powers and the costumes, they boil down to one person making a difference. Stan ends the scene with a quick, “‘Nuff said.” Agreed.

2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Stan also makes a cameo in another story from the Spider-Fam, this time as he sells a Spidey mask to Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Miles is struggling to accept his developing responsibilities, especially in a world without Peter Parker. “I’m going to miss him,” Stan tells Miles. “We were friends, you know.”

Once again, hearing Stan share his love for the characters he created always strikes a chord in the hearts of fans. Meanwhile, Miles really doesn’t know if he can live up to Peter’s legacy. Being a hero is overwhelming. He asks the shopkeeper if he can return the mask, just in case it doesn’t fit. Stan reassures him, “It always fits … eventually.”

1. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

As a nice meta-MCU moment, the GotG Vol. 2 Stan Lee cameo gave a nod to one of the most prominent fan theories out there: What if Stan Lee has so many cameos because he is a Watcher? In the film, Yondu, Rocket, Groot, and Kraglin must jump through a series of wormholes. One brief break from the dizzying action sees them soaring past Stan Lee in an astronaut suit.

He’s surrounded by a group of Watchers, and before he was briefly interrupted by the spaceship barreling past, he was regaling them with stories of his various MCU cameos. This moment was enough to make many hardcore fans’ heads explode with the sheer awesomeness of the implication that Stan Lee was in fact sided with the Watchers, the mysterious overseers of the Marvel Universe.

It’s a clear winner for the best Stan Lee cameo of all.

Did we miss any of your favorites? Share your thoughts and honor Stan’s legacy with other True Believers over at side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!