"I love Marvel and the people there. I'm glad I'm still part of it."
Digital recreations have slowly and surely become the norm in place of utilizing new actors/characters in the place of the deceased, as witnessed most prominently in the case of Paul Walker's untimely demise during the filming of Fast and Furious 7 in 2013. It has become a rather hallmark case in this realm, as any need for real actors is mollified by the potential of sophisticated technologies.
Still, the ethics of the debacle are incredibly messy and, as in the case with Walker, can certainly be hailed for their ingeniousness, but also maybe cause for concern, as expressed in a wide variety of other cases, like James Dean in a still-in-development film called Finding Jack, which Chris Evans famously called "shameful." The actor, who played not one but two Marvel superheroes throughout his career, has yet to publicly weigh in on the news of Marvel mastermind Stan Lee's soon-to-be resurgence within films and TV shows under the Disney-led banner, but his adoration and respect for the creator go unstated.
Announced via The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, May 18, a new deal to license the likeness of Lee in future Marvel projects proved to set the fanbase on fire. The so-called "broad deal," according to Genius Brands' CEO Andy Heyward, will see the legendary creator revitalized through the use of CGI for additional cameos amidst the MCU future, as well as even in Disney theme parks, merchandising, and "experiences." It has a 20-year lifespan, keeping Stan, who passed away in 2018 due to cardiac arrest, alive for the next two decades.
To some, the incredibly few, it may prove to be a worthwhile effort. Says Heyward, "if it's done with taste and class, and respectful of who he was, [uses of his likeness] will be welcomed." To the large majority, it's a slap in the face. On Twitter, several fans have voiced negative opinions on the matter, calling out not just Disney but Hollywood, as one Grabriel Batcaverna writes, "please leave people who have died alone." Others have been much harsher.
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Lee, who made cameos in almost every Marvel project, was last seen in the highly anticipated Avengers: Endgame, which was apt given that it, too, was wrapping up the MCU's Infinity Saga of films and acted as the perfect resting place for the in-universe character. Marvel even credited the great comic book writer in an opening montage shown amid 2019's Captain Marvel, and the studio even announced the official end of his appearances last year.
But, it seemingly has not been enough for the house of the mouse. Reported by Vice last December, Lee's likeness was utilized in a series of NFTs released and sold on the legend's own would-be 99th birthday. Although his enthusiasm and adoration for the brand and his characters were superseded by very little, actions taken post-passing by various individuals around him proved to go beyond the norm and have incited myriad backlash.
To those unaware, the creator's final few years were steeped in a plethora of leeching and exploitation - not just by coworkers and colleagues, but even supposedly family members, in the hunt for more green. Several various court proceedings and civil suits prove his only daughter, JC Lee, sought further control over his estate, as evidenced via 2020's Lee v. POW! Entertainment, which was thrown out in court (and later appealed in 2021).
"If Lee's life deteriorated into fraud and feud, his legacy has come to seem only more enduring," writes Stephanie Burt in a well-researched article in The New Yorker chronicling the life and times of the avid comic creator. Even Lee himself has a quote that seems almost on the nose in this regard, made notorious amid the Spider-Man films: "With great power comes great responsibility."
Just because we can utilize his likeness through CGI and other means doesn't mean we should. It calls to mind a terrifying episode of Black Mirror called "Be Right Back," A grieving wife named Martha opts into "a new service that lets people stay in touch with the deceased." On the surface, it may sound so incredible, bringing Lee back and having him thrive despite his passing, but in the grand scheme of things, it isn't necessary and, as a matter of fact, it's deplorable not just for his family's sake, but for the fans.
While money certainty will rule all in this case, Disney and Marvel Studios should take note. Let the creator live on, instead of through these ghoulish means and tactics, via his many beloved characters. It's clear that the comic book universe created by him, through the aid of several other talented people (like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko), meant more to him than probably anything else. His love for his characters seeped into their very magic, and it's what makes Marvel so marvelous today. Why tarnish it with such grotesque means?
