Two new animated films are in production boasting Stan Lee’s name and branding, but they’re not based on Marvel Comics. On Tuesday, Deadline reported that Kartoon Studios and GFM Animation are partnering for Heroes at Large and Silver Sentinel — films based on stories from the Stan Lee Universe. These are not adaptations of comic books or any other existing content, though the announcement does imply that they’re “Stan’s original ideas.” The scripts are nearly complete, and the movies are expected to debut in 2027. These are just the first of many planned collaborations between Kartoon Studios and GFM, capitalizing on their rights to Lee’s name and likeness.
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The connections between these two movies and Lee’s work is a little difficult to trace. It all seems to go back to the company Lee co-founded in 2001 after leaving Marvel — POW! Entertainment. Most of the original work Lee did in the years that followed was through POW!, including comics, TV, movies and other mediums. In 2020, the company that would later become Kartoon Studios acquired the licensing rights to Lee’s original IPs from POW!, along with the rights to use his name and likeness. The two companies placed all these assets under a joint venture called Stan Lee Universe.
Lee doesn’t appear to have published any content about these characters before. The implication that the ideas started with him comes in a quote from GFM Animation’s head of production, Sean Feeney, who told Deadline, “Having worked with them all previously and having spent many months developing how we can authentically bring to life & expand upon Stan’s original ideas, we are confident they are the perfect choice for these important first two films. With previous animation experience & success, they are 100% on board our aims of creating fun-packed superhero adventure stories with strong family audience credentials. This is an exciting moment for us all!”
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As for the stories themselves, Silver Sentinel is reportedly a mother/daughter drama about a business executive and active mom who fights crime in secret at night. However, she finds that her powers begin waning as her 14-year-old daughter’s powers take shape. The usual pubescent tension is only exacerbated, yet they don’t have time to process it as they need to work together to face down old nemeses.
Heroes at Large is about two average men — friends who work together as electricians and spend time together with their families. The two will apparently be pulled into a super-powered conflict of galactic proportions, but it’s not entirely clear how yet. Whatever happens, their friendship will be the key to victory.
According to Kartoon and GFM, both scripts are nearly finished and the movies will premiere in 2027. They plan to collaborate on more non-Marvel Stan Lee Universe productions.
