The 10 Most Iconic Stan Lee Cameos of All Time

Shivani Dubey remembers some of the iconic moments that made Stan Lee a legacy

On November 12th, 2018, the world lost the legend that was Stan Lee. He lived a full life of 95 years and in that time, he left behind a legacy that the world will forever remember him by. He is responsible for creating all the amazing superheroes in the Marvel universe and lived long enough to see his creations influence minds of kids and adults alike through films or the colorful comics he created. Besides obviously giving birth to characters like Spider-Man, Thor, Iron Man and many others, he was also known for his cameos across all the movies within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and beyond. So, in honor of his memory, in no particular order, here are the 10 most iconic Stan Lee cameos in Marvel history:

  • Iron Man (2008):

This was the first ever movie of what would become the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And it is only right that this list kicks off with the cameo from the movie that started it all.

Image Courtesy: Marvel Entertainment
  • The Amazing Spider-Man (2012):

This is easily one of the funniest, most iconic cameos he has ever made. What really sells it is the fact that he has absolutely no clue of what’s happening in the background. He’s just lost n his music while Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man saves him from getting hit by a table, without him even realizing.

Image Courtesy: Marvel Entertainment
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014):

This is probably one of my favourite cameos Stan Lee ever did. When Chris Evans’ Captain America steals his own uniform from an exhibit about his own life, Stan Lee appears as the security guard and goes, “I’m so fired.” Classic.

Image Courtesy: Marvel Entertainment
  • Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015): 

Probably the most known cameo that Stan Lee has ever done. Thor gives Stan a very strong Asgardian alcoholic drink and he gets so drunk off it that the only thing Stan manages to say is ‘Excelsior’. Loosely translated as ‘ever upward’, it is now a word used to describe the legacy that Stan Lee has managed to leave behind for generations to look up to.

Image Courtesy: Marvel Entertainment
  • Deadpool (2016):

You’d never think that Stan Lee being a DJ is something you would ever see in your life, but once you do, you realize it’s something you never knew you needed. And what better movie to make this happen in other than Deadpool.

Image Courtesy: Marvel Entertainment
  • Captain America: Civil War (2016):

This is definitely my favorite cameo ever. Stan Lee appears as a Fed-Ex guy with a parcel for Tony Stark aka Iron Man. But he mispronounces his name as Tony Stank. It cracks me up every single time.

Image Courtesy: Marvel Entertainment
  • Avengers (2012):

The first Avengers film was already a groundbreaking movie, given that it was the first time all of the world’s mightiest superheroes were coming together. Stan appears towards the end, after Earth is saved by the said heroes, brushing off the concept, saying, “Superheroes in New York? Give me a break.”

  • Deadpool 2 teaser (2018): 

This is the only teaser or trailer up on this list and it comes from Deadpool, given how much Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson loves to break the fourth wall. The concept is simple, Deadpool has taken his sweet time changing into his costume inside a phone booth and is now ready to fight. Stan Lee simply comes out and goes, “Wow, nice suit!” to which Deadpool – in his signature style – screams, “Zip it, Stan Lee!”

  • Spiderman Homecoming (2017):

This is a very adorable cameo. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man accidentally sets a car’s alarm off, making everyone in the neighbourhood come to their windows and reprimand him. One of them is Stan Lee, who sees him, and as a nod to his cameo in Andrew Garfield’s The Amazing Spider-Man 2goes, “Hey, I think I know that guy!” 

  • Spider-Man 3 (2007) :

I deliberately put this cameo towards the end because of how special it is. It seems like an ordinary cameo, but it is what Stan says that makes it special. Tobey Maguire is looking at a billboard about Spider-Man saving people in New York City and Stan comes to stands beside him and says, “You know, I guess one person canmake a difference.”

Image Courtesy: Marvel Entertainment

And it’s true. One person did make a difference. And it was none other than Stan Lee through his comics and characters. He managed to humanize them in such a way that everyone could relate to them, no matter what gender or age group you belong to. Making every single person believe that they’re a superhero is probably the biggest difference he could’ve ever made. 

Rest in peace, Stan Lee. Thank you for your legacy.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top