‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ Producers Detail Stan Lee’s “Poignant” Cameo

If you’re disappointed that you have to wait until Captain Marvel’s March 8th release to see the first live-action Stan Lee cameo since his passing, we have some good news… You only have to wait a couple of weeks for his next animated appearance, which is happening in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

In an interview with producers Chris Miller and Phil Lord, Fandango mentions how this is the “first proper Stan Lee cameo since his passing.” (They use the word “proper” because you can see an animated Lee in Ralph Breaks the Internet, but the comics legend didn’t actually lend his voice to the movie moment.)

“Did you know right from the start where you wanted to place him?,” asked Fandango.

Miller, the film’s producer, said they didn’t want to give Lee “a little passing cameo.” Since Lee co-created Spider-Man with Steve Ditko, he’s “integral to the spirit of this movie” and therefore they wanted him to “be more important and carry some emotional weight to the movie.”

Lord, producer/writer, chimed in, adding that they wanted to “really give him something important like a talisman.” They ultimately landed on the spider suit, which they “thought was really important.”

Fandango points out they it might be Stan Lee’s “most poignant cameo” ever, and Lord and Miller agreed. “We certainly felt really happy to do it with him,” added Lord, “and obviously this last week [with Stan Lee’s passing], it made it extra meaningful and moving.”

The writer/producer added that they screened the film a couple of days after Lee died, and the moment ended up being “really emotional” for them as they watched “everyone engage with it and collectively salute him.”

Lee isn’t the only cameo to look forward to in the upcoming animated feature. In the interview, Miller and Lord also teased an appearance by Donald Glover, who helped inspire the film’s lead, Miles Morales.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse follows multiple versions of the friendly neighborhood hero, including the iconic Peter Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson). The film also stars Shameik Moore (as Miles Morales), Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Liev Schreiber, Nicolas Cage, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Lily Tomlin, Brian Tyree Henry, and Luna Lauren Velez.

Catch an animated Stan Lee and all of the Spideys in theaters on December 14, 2018.