Will Stan Lee make another MCU cameo? Marvel legend’s AI likeness opens door to endless possibilities
There's every possibility that Marvel legend Stan Lee could return with his signature 'Excelsior'. Recent reports state that Lee's voice and likeness will be replicated by an AI company for commercial purposes. ElevenLabs has acquired the rights to use the Marvel legend's image and voice with the intention of licensing them for use by other companies. This paves the way for a digitally resurrected Lee to appear in advertisements, and possibly, TV shows and movies.
"Stan always believed in meeting his fans where they were: in the pages of a comic, at a convention, or in a quick on-screen cameo," Chaz Rainey, a lawyer and board member for Stan Lee Universe, the company that currently owns Lee's image, said, per Variety. "This partnership is a way of continuing that. Fans have always told us that when they read his comics, they hear the words in Stan's voice, and now, thanks to ElevenLabs, we can make that a reality." While it is yet to be confirmed, this opens the door for Lee to return with his trademark cameos in the MCU. He was last seen in 'Avengers: Endgame' speeding off in a car as a '70s hippie. Lee appears in the time heist scene when Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) travel back in time to a military base in New Jersey in 1970.
The godfather of the franchise is seen in a white car with long hair and a thick mustache, yelling, "Hey man, make love, not war!" In all, Lee has 38 appearances across the movies connected to the film's universe. With 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' and 'Avengers: Doomsday' coming up later this year, followed by 'Avengers: Secret Wars', speculation is rife about whether Lee will make an appearance. While filming for 'Secret Wars' is yet to begin, 'Doomsday' and 'Brand New Day' are lining up for a release on the big screen. While it might be too late to incorporate Lee in the films, it remains to be seen if the marketing team will use his image and voice to promote the films at some stage. There is also a slim chance of Lee appearing in 'Secret Wars,' though it is unclear what role he could play. For now, much of this is pure speculation, but given Lee's lasting presence in Marvel, the latest news gives the team a chance to make him immortal on-screen.
