A new documentary about Marvel icon Stan Lee will explore claims that the star was subject to “mistreatment, manipulation and betrayal” in the latter years of his life.
Lee died in 2018, aged 95, after a battle with pneumonia. He is considered to be one of the most influential figures in comic book history having created characters such as Spider-Man, The Fantastic Four, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men and Iron Man.
Stan Lee: The Final Chapter, though, will attempt to show that his final years weren’t all that happy as he still took part in autographed memorabilia and photo opportunities despite his declining health.
The documentary has been made by Jon Bolerjack, who became an assistant to Lee for the final four years of his life but covertly filmed much of what was going on at the time.
Bolerjack unveiled the project via a Kickstarter campaign, which is hoping to raise more than £230,000, having already gained £26,000 through donations.
The synopsis for the documentary reads: “The events are chronicled by filmmaker Jon Bolerjack who became an assistant to Stan and a fixture of his inner circle. Jon gained unprecedented access and filmed everything he saw.
“What he uncovered was a thriving market where Stan's signatures and memorabilia were converted into huge piles of cash and rival hucksters double-crossed each other to control Stan's fortune. After years of collecting this footage, he's ready to share this shockingly and truly heartbreaking story with the world.
“Bringing the truth to light is never without its risks. This documentary delves into the real story behind Stan Lee’s final years, exposing those who wronged him. As a result, I face potential threats to my personal safety, frivolous lawsuits meant to silence me, and other efforts to suppress this film. Despite these challenges, I am committed to ensuring Stan’s true story is told. With your support, we can overcome these obstacles and honour his legacy.”
The trailer for the documentary shows an elderly and clearly exhausted Lee being transported to various comic book conventions despite his old age and poor health. The film also features interviews with leading comic book figures including Mark Waid, Rob Liefeld and Roy Thomas.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Bolerjack said he advocated for more breaks for Lee and that he was “doing the best I could” for the star.
“I spoke to him about this at length, even toward the very end of his life. A lot of things have happened to him, but I didn’t get the real sense that he felt shame about it,” Bolerjack added. “I think he wanted it out there to be that sort of warning.”
Aside from his work in comic books, Lee also became famous for his cameos in dozens of movies and TV shows. His final appearance was in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which was released just a handful of months after his death.
