Main image via Variety
In his life, Stan Lee made an immense impact on comics and film, and Marvel super fan or not, his cameos in Marvel films are Easter eggs that never fail to prompt cheers from the audience.
Although many Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will know him as the guy who shows up in the majority of the movies released by Marvel, Stan actually started doing cameos long before the superhero movies were made. As far back as the 1960’s, Lee would be occasionally inserted in the covers and pages of Marvel comics he was overseeing.
Cyber Space Comics/Marvel
“The artists back then would draw me in as a joke or just to have fun,” Lee told the Business Insider. “And I would put some dialogue balloons there and it looked as if I intended it. I didn’t try to do cameos in those days.”
Speaking on his cameos in the films, Lee said that he particularly liked his cameo in “Avenger’s: Age of Ultron” (2015) because “it’s so funny.” He also liked his appearance in “Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer,” where he wasn’t allowed in to Reed Richards and Susan Storm’s wedding because the bouncer didn’t believe he was really Stan Lee.
As a tribute to the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics, who has died at the age of 95 today, we’ve compiled a list of every cameo he’s ever done in the Marvel universe.
“The Trial of the Incredible Hulk” (1989)
Stan made his first cameo ever almost 30 years ago in a TV movie. He played the role a of a jury member in David Banner’s imagined trial.
“X-Men” (2000)
Stan’s first feature film cameo was in the premiere “X-Men” film (unfortunately, his “Blade” appearance was removed from the final cut). Fans spotted him selling hot dogs on the beach during Senator Kelly’s emergence from the sea.
“Spider-Man” (2002)
Stan was the bystander who shielded a young girl from debris when the Green Goblin causes an explosion.
“Daredevil” (2003)
Stan co-created the character Daredevil with artist Bill Everett. Even though the 2003 movie adaptation ended up being criticised severely, fans rejoiced at the sight of Stan Lee reading a newspaper next to young Matt Murdock
“Hulk” (2003)
Stan appears with former Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno as security guards in this film. It was also the first cameo that has Stan Lee speaking!
“Spider-Man 2” (2004)
Similar to Stan’s cameo in the previous Spider-Man movie, he saves a woman from falling debris in this one as well, this time caused by Spider-Man’s fight with Doctor Octopus.
“Fantastic Four” (2005)
Stan plays the mailman Willie Lumpkin, a character he created in the comics, and greets Reed Richards, a.k.a Mr. Fantastic.
“X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006)
Stan is a bewildered neighbour whose hose begins to spray water upwards while he’s watering his lawn when Jean Grey’s uses her telekinesis to levitate several objects outside.
“Spider-Man 3” (2007)
Stan utters some wise words to Peter Parker in this one that makes us all shed a tear.
“Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” (2007)
One of Stan’s favourite cameos, he isn’t allowed into Reed Richard and Susan Storm’s wedding because the bouncer doesn’t believe he’s really Stan Lee.
“Iron Man” (2008)
In this cameo, Tony Stark mistakes Stan for Hugh Hefner at a red carpet event. Though we’d have to agree that he does look a lot like Hugh Hefner here!
“The Incredible Hulk” (2008)
Stan accidentally gets infected with gamma sickness when he drinks a soda contaminated with Bruce Banner’s Hulk blood.
“Iron Man 2” (2010)
Keeping the trend of mistaken identity, Tony Stark confuses a suspender-wearing Stan Lee for Larry King.
“Thor” (2011)
Stan tries to pull Thor’s hammer, Mjölnir, out of the ground using his pickup truck. Failing the task, Stan prompts laughter from the other truckers.
“Captain America: The First Avenger” (2011)
Stan adds comic relief to the film as a World War II general who mistakes another man for Captain America.
“The Avengers” (2012)
In this cameo, Stan is a member of the public that doesn’t believe superheroes exist in New York.
“The Amazing Spider-Man” (2012)
Stan Lee is completely unaware of the fight going on behind him between Spider-Man and the Lizard, while he jams out to classical music on his enormous headphones.
“Iron Man 3” (2013)
Stan appears as a beauty pageant judge who enthusiastically gives a contestant a perfect 10 mark.
“Thor: The Dark World” (2013)
Stan plays a patient who wants his shoe back, at the same mental hospital ward astrophysicist Erik Selvig is committed to.
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” (2014)
Another funny cameo, Stan is a security guard who’s afraid he’ll be fired when he finds Captain America’s uniform is missing.
“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (2014)
Coincidentally attending Peter Parker’s graduation ceremony, Stan spots him in his Spider-Man mask and remarks that he recognises the young man.
“Guardians of the Galaxy” (2014)
Stan gets caught flirting with a beautiful young woman.
“Big Hero 6” (2014)
Animated to appear with his signature sunglasses and moustache, Lee is the voice of Fred’s dad in this post-credit scene.
“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” (2014)
With two gorgeous women flanking his side, Stan tells Agent Coulson off for making Jemma Simmons upset.
“Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015)
Stan’s favourite cameo, He plays a World War II veteran who needs help leaving the Avengers’ celebration after drinking too much, while he mumbles “Excelsior” to himself.
“Agent Carter” (2015)
Stan gets a short role in the show’s first season, borrowing a newspaper from Howard Stark, Tony Stark’s dad.
“Ant-Man” (2015)
Stan is a slick bartender in Luis’ flashback, describing a woman as “crazy stupid fine”.
“Deadpool” (2016)
Stan appears as an emcee at a strip club in his most explicit cameo ever.
“Captain America: Civil War” (2016)
Stan hilariously mispronounces Tony Stark’s name as Tony Stank when he makes a delivery as a FedEx worker.
“X-Men: Apocalypse” (2016)
Stan Lee clutches his real wife, Joan, while they tremble with several other bystanders as they watch nuclear missiles launch into space. This was Joan’s last film appearance before her death the following year.
“Doctor Strange” (2016)
Stan reportedly filmed three other cameos on the same day he filmed this one; “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2”, “Spider-Man: Homecoming”, and “Thor: Ragnarok”. In this one, he’s a bus rider so engrossed in a book that he doesn’t notice Doctor Strange and Mordo fall onto the side of the bus.
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” (2017)
Dressed as an astronaut, Stan tells celestial beings stories about his life, including the time when he was a postman – a reference to Stan’s role as the FedEx deliveryman in “Iron Man 2”, which caused fans to theorise that Stan actually plays the same character in every MCU film. Kevin Feige confirmed this idea, saying, “We thought it would be fun to put that in there because that really says, ‘So wait a minute, he’s the same character who’s popped up in all these films.”
“Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017)
Stan yells out of a window at Spider-Man for causing a commotion in true old-man style.
“The Gifted” (2017)
Based on Marvel Comics’ X-Men, Stan Lee appears in one of the episodes in the series. He’s seen leaving a bar just as Marcos enters.
“Thor: Ragnarok” (2017)
Equipped with blades instead of a right hand, Stan is the intergalactic barber who cuts Thor’s beautiful blond waves.
“Runaways” (2017)
Stan is featured as the limo driver who takes the teens to PRIDE’s gala.
“Black Panther” (2018)
A thirsty gambler, Stan grabs T’Challa’s winnings at the casino in South Korea
“Avengers: Infinity War” (2018)
Ever the unfazed observer, Stan plays the bus driver who tells a group of startled kids off for being scared of a giant spaceship floating above the city.
“Ant-Man and the Wasp” (2018)
Stan’s car gets shrunken by a particle disk just as he’s about to get into it, he reacts saying “Well, the ‘60s were fun, but now I’m paying for it,” LOL
“Venom” (2018)
Stan plays an insightful man walking his tiny dog who tells Eddie Brock “Don’t give up on her… either of you,” as Eddie leaves his ex-fiancé, hinting that he knows about Eddie’s Venom persona.
Venom was the latest film to be released with Stan Lee before his death. But, luckily for us, we’ll have at least one more Stan Lee cameo to look forward to. Back in April, Joe Russo told BBC Radio Scotland that Stan Lee has already filmed his Avengers 4 cameo and will indeed appear in the film, so watch out for him then ok, guys?
We’re gonna miss this legend! Did you manage to spot Stan Lee during all these movies?