Stan Lee signs deal with Disney

Comic book legend inks deal to develop new superhero franchises, including games.

Superhero movies are popular these days--Spider-Man 3 broke box office opening weekend records, X-Men: The Last Stand grossed $45.5 million on its opening day, and animated films like The Incredibles have also fared, well, incredibly. On the back of this success, Disney has decided that more superhero franchises would be a good idea, and is reported to have signed up Stan Lee to create new characters for the company, according to the BBC.

Lee will be bringing about 20 new characters into the world initially, including El Lobo, Chameleon, Thunder Rider, Whirlwind, Doubleman, Nightbird, and Blaze, all of whom are "in the active stages of development." On top of the first 20, Lee also has ideas for another 40 further down the pipeline.

His new characters will be the basis of new games, films, books, comics, and more. Lee said, "I've got millions of [ideas]. I have file cabinets filled with ideas for movies and television shows and all sorts of things."

The 84-year-old Lee had a hand in the creation of many famous Marvel comic book superheroes including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, the Incredible Hulk, and Daredevil.

112 Comments

  • AnFangs_Endes

    Posted Jun 12, 2007 3:12 pm PT

    wth kinda demon spawn will this create?!? :p

  • AceCometh

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 12:54 pm PT

    Say it ain't so, Stan!! Say it ain't so!!

  • MasterAsh42

    Posted Jun 9, 2007 2:16 am PT

    Um. . .If this had happened, say, 30 years ago I'd say "Great!". . .At least I would four years later when I sprang out from my mother. (I'm a fast learner.)

    But right now?. . .I find Stan Lee hasn't aged very well upstairs. Between Stripperella, Who Wants to Be a Superhero?, Mosaic, and The Condor, the man's showing signs of creative wear. I'll grant you, his heart's always been in the right place, but when art mimics life, then life mimics art, then art mimics life. . .Well, art's not as groundbreaking as it once was.

  • flazzle

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 2:39 pm PT

    To rl41: Actually, Stan really hasn't made that much money. He got totally screwed. He doesn't own the characters, Marvel does.
    You are right, he's done a great job makeing comics what they are today, but I honestly dont know what else he has to offer.

  • flazzle

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 2:11 pm PT

    to conradb319:
    If you read all the butt kissing of how great it is to have Stan Lee, its my way of reminding everyone he hasn't written anything good in decades. He hasn't created a good character in decades.
    His comic book reality show was a train wreck.
    If he still had the talent of writing and creating good super hero stories, he would tapped to help write movie scripts and create super hero characters long ago.

  • rl_41

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 1:11 pm PT

    Stan Lee shouldn't disgrace his name by making crappy characters that disappear in a week. He's done a great job making comics what they are today, and I think he's made enough money...

  • GrimBee

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 1:05 pm PT

    I don't think there is much left in old stan... i mean, for the last 20 years he just been signing off his liscences. Giving support of course, but it takes a LOT to top his awesome characters.

    Back in the day, you could create a character - and with the right drawings and drama - that character would succeed. But today is extremely disposable.
    I mean, stan could release some awesome character - but the way the industry goes today, it would be out-done in a month by some squirrel or something from youtube..

    Todays generation is INSANELY disposable, characters like nemo, incredibles, cars - they will be forgotten in a year or two after release. Even new comic heroes.

    The ones which last are from the generation decades ago.

    Its the same with games, its easier to churn out old liscences with sequels instead of making something new and fresh for this generation to enjoy.

    One big frustrating thing is though - Stans work will then be liscenced (and effectively toned down) by corporate disney. Soon after, it will be released on Sony only products (like blu-ray)...

    I hope Stan has what it takes in this generation. Heres hoping he will make things which last like his old stuff. But I reckon, by todays generations standards - anything he creates will be forgotten soon after its released.

    Alot of Disney stuff is just to cash in on summer blockbusters and the toy franchise. Gone are the long term franchises... same with all industries now.

  • Bozanimal

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 12:46 pm PT

    Disney needs all the help it can get with its creative content after a series of horrible, horrible failures.

    For example, Pocahontas, The Emperor's New Groove, Hercules, Mulan, Atlantis, Brother Bear, Treasure Planet, Home on the Range, Chicken Little... the list goes on and on.

    I miss old-school Disney.

  • conradb319

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 11:38 am PT

    to flazzle, you can't say 'name them' and expect an answer right away, you are typing, no one knows what you say until you post it. answering your question before giving anyone a chance to answer is pointless in this medium.

  • treznick

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 10:03 am PT

    So, now we get to look forward to "Kingdom Hearts: Marvel Edition"?
    'nuff said!

  • flazzle

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 9:55 am PT

    Stan Lee hasn't written anything good or created good characters in over 30 years. Think about it.

    If he has, name them.
    Thought so.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 9:49 am PT

    I like Stan...but I don't about this Disney deal.

  • Serious

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 8:50 am PT

    Stan Lee's Imagination is a resource that should have been tapped a long time ago. I'm sure he will come up with some exciting new characters that we will all enjoy. Good move Disney!

  • K_u_F

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 8:06 am PT

    theres gunna be so many superheros now that the old ones like spiderman arent gunna have a job

  • prioritymail

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 6:33 am PT

    I thought stan lee was with Universal studios. I guess it seems than no one can stay out of the comic book hero game nowadays.

  • mamodoking

    Posted Jun 8, 2007 2:08 am PT

    The Condor was one of the most painful things that I sat through. Please Stan just retire before you cause anymore damage to the super hero genre.

  • -Squirrel-

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 11:20 pm PT

    Not sure about this Disney deal, but who doesn't love Stan "the man" Lee? More super heroes isn't necessarily a bad thing, and plus this will be in a Disney owned or at least alternate universe from the Marvel universe, so it's not like its gunna hinder our old favorite heroes. I say let us see what "the man" still has up his sleeves before we assume its gunna suck. And remember Disney can do compelling non children stories (i.e. Pirates).

  • gameloverx

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 9:32 pm PT

    Well Derek Stan's making new things everyday like Mosaic and The Condor. Those were good movies and Disney's not the devil. Understand now huh? Besides Jack Kirby would be proud.

  • DerekLStinson

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 7:41 pm PT

    NOOOO!!!!!! Disney is the DEVIL!!!

  • icym

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 6:48 pm PT

    Love the comics movies, been waiting for years for the genre to make it on the big screen, but as every genre passes on: I think by the time any ideas are in production, the movie industry will have moved on.

  • SmallPower

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 6:40 pm PT

    Stan's only doing this because his time is drawing near and he wants his head frozen next to Walt's (per the secret fine print).

  • Morceman

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 6:19 pm PT

    Good luck with that Stan, and Disney, I hope you recover with this. Any objections, speak now or forever hold your peace.

  • V-Nine

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 5:42 pm PT

    Now if they can come up with something that can outdo Kingdom Hearts.

  • Pete5506

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 5:41 pm PT

    this is going to end badly

  • Ottothebobcat

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 5:19 pm PT

    El Lobo?

  • Redsyrup

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 5:00 pm PT

    His mind is a gold mine, I wish I could see what's in those file cabinets.

  • VFG

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 4:30 pm PT

    Don't do it Stan! Disney Interactive is the devil!

  • vinibr

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 4:06 pm PT

    Yay!
    More new Stan Lee!

    I'm sure that'll be a BANG!

  • HotsFrost

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 3:54 pm PT

    84 years! Wow he must have a lot of ideas stored away.

  • MChammertime05

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 3:41 pm PT

    stan lee is a genius and I am happy with this move

  • 1357900

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 3:40 pm PT

    Interesting...

  • nemes1s3000

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 3:28 pm PT

    Stan Lee actually liked Spiderman 3? It's the end of the world as we know it.

  • Jedi_Osborn

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 3:14 pm PT

    Stan Lee is the master!!!!!

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 3:03 pm PT

    Wow, he's 84 now.

  • GizmoVirus

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 3:02 pm PT

    Stan created the character, he doesnt have creative control over them.
    Do you think he has power of vito over any comic written that involves one of his characters!?

    Anyways Stan is the MAN!

  • 1357900

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 2:25 pm PT

    I agree with AncientDozer.
    To dru26: Sony bought the rights to the Spider-Man character, name, & so forth from Marvel. Stan Lee had little to do with it, I'm assumming.

  • sniper_99

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 2:12 pm PT

    nice, he's still kickin at 84

  • dru26

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 2:11 pm PT

    After the out and out disaster that was Spiderman 3, I have very little faith left in Stan.

  • blueflamedino

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 2:05 pm PT

    so he has no wasted ideas, cool

  • AncientDozer

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 2:02 pm PT

    Wow! Stan lee is 84?! He seems a tad younger than that, especially on Who Wants to be a Super Hero. Got so much energy. I could only hope to be like that when I'm 84.

  • darksamurai3000

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:53 pm PT

    this maybe a great thing for both lee and disney

  • MadGamer132

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:46 pm PT

    great deal for a great man. kudos!

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:42 pm PT

    84 years old. Wow. The guy must have some dedication.

  • JFreezy02

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:36 pm PT

    I agree with haesuse! Isn't there a way to transplant Stan Lee's brain into a younger body?

  • haesuse

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:30 pm PT

    dude stan rules! now what sucks is the man is 84, we need to find a way to keep him alive for another 50-60 years with his brains intact

  • Cardigan1

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:23 pm PT

    Stan "The Man" at it again. Awesome

  • Superstrokey

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:22 pm PT

    stripperella a disney movie>

  • Ithok

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:11 pm PT

    Now this is great news, Stan can toughen up Disney and create more great characters. Hope he lives forever and creates a hundred more.

  • Lightchaos

    Posted Jun 7, 2007 1:11 pm PT

    go Stan Lee!

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