Last Updated on August 3, 2021
The world lost a legend this week. At the age of 95, the legendary Stan Lee passed away. Leaving behind a legacy of some of the most iconic characters of all time, Lee will be remembered not only as a writer and an artist, but for his appearances in virtually every Marvel movie ever made. Stan Lee appeared in animated form and voice over frequently, but his physical presence could never be masked. Larger than life, Lee's cameos became the highlight of every Marvel film. To commemorate the life of Stan The Man, here is our ranking of our top ten favorite Stan Lee cameos. Share your favorite in the comments below. Rest in peace, Stan.
MALLRATS (1995)
More of an extended role than a mere cameo, Stan Lee played himself in Kevin Smith's second feature film. Relating his lost love turned comic book creations to avid fan Brodie (Jason Lee), Smith made an emotional connection that many of us may not have expected from the guy who created The Thing and The Incredible Hulk.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (2012)
Without uttering a word, Stan Lee made this hilarious cameo that allowed a massive action scene to play out without him even noticing. While many found the AMAZING SPIDER-MAN films to be lacking, this cameo is one of the best of any of the films.
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2 (2017)
With dozens of cameos over the years, I know it occurred to you that Stan Lee's appearances in all of these films could be connected. Sure, they were fun little easter eggs, but maybe there was more to them. James Gunn came up with the genius idea to make Stan Lee an informant for the Watchers, the big-headed gatekeepers of Marvel's timeline. It is just crazy enough that it could have turned into an entire franchise or short film series just focused on Lee's true origin.
THOR RAGNAROK (2017)
Taika Waititi's THOR RAGNAROK is chock full of hilarious moments, but seeing Stan Lee with the scariest hair trimmer imaginable approaching the Lord of Thunder's trademark locks is funny as hell. Freeing Chris Hemsworth to use his brilliant comic timing, this scene is funny each and every time I see it.
AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (2015)
Stan Lee's cameo in the first AVENGERS was a nice little inclusion mocking superheroes, but his scene drunkenly departing the celebration by the superhero squad is even better. As he gets carried out after not being able to hold his Asgardian liquor, Lee manages to slur his trademark catchphrase "Excelsior!"
ANT-MAN (2015)
I had a tough time deciding between ANT-MAN and DOCTOR STRANGE for this slot. Both cameos are very short and very funny. Then I thought about the ANT-MAN AND THE WASP cameo, but I kept coming back to this one. Seeing Lee mimic Michael Pena's rat-a-tat dialogue is funny because it is an old man talking like a young person, but it also shows that Stan Lee was up for pretty much anything if it got a laugh.
SPIDER-MAN 3 (2007)
Often derided as the weakest of Sam Raimi's trilogy, SPIDER-MAN 3 benefits from having another memorable Stan Lee cameo. While Peter Parker is admiring his own successes as Spider-man, he runs into Lee who proclaims "I guess one person can make a difference". It is a nice shared moment between creator and creation and is better than some of the background cameos that Stan Lee had made in the first two SPIDER-MAN films.
X-MEN: APOCALYPSE (2016)
The reception was chilly for Bryan Singer's most recent X-MEN film, especially after the awesome DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. But, seeing Stan Lee and his late wife Joan embracing in the face of impending armageddon is a sweet swan song to their decades long relationship. Joan sadly passed before Stan but this moment will always remind us of their time together.
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (2016)
The stakes were higher in this film than any MCU movie before it. When the airport battle ended with Rhodey being seriously injured, I didn't expect the movie to recover with a funny scene like this one. It is a cheap joke switching Stark and Stank, but when Stan Lee delivers it, it puts a smile on your face.
Marvel’s Spider-man (PS4)
While not a movie, Insomniac's video game is one of the best interpretations of Spider-man ever. The relationship between Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson is a highlight of a video game chock full of webslinging and massive action sequences. But, when Stan Lee appears and tells the former sweethearts that they were always his favorite, it is a memorable reminder that Spider-man may just be Lee's greatest creation.
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