James Gunn recently disclosed that he had scripted a cameo part expressly for Stan Lee, who was the co-founder of Marvel, in the screenplay for Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 3. However, before shooting took place, Lee tragically died away. Throughout the course of Marvel movies, Lee had built a practice of making quick and easily unnoticed cameos, and his final cameo came in Avengers: Endgame.
During the director’s commentary for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, James Gunn revealed that the script had been completed before Stan Lee’s passing. As a result, the cameo role for Lee, known as Lambshank, was initially planned to be a voiceover performance to avoid the need for travel. However, following Gunn’s departure from Marvel and the subsequent delay of the project, when filming eventually resumed, Gunn himself decided to take on the role of Lambshank. This peculiar character is depicted as a strange genetic experiment by the High Evolutionary.
In his explanation, James Gunn shared that he had originally written the character Lambshank with Stan Lee in mind. Gunn acknowledged that he wrote the role before Lee’s passing and was aware of Lee’s advanced age, making it challenging to have him travel to Atlanta for filming. As a solution, Gunn created a character that could be animated, with Lee providing the voice and featuring a likeness resembling the beloved Stan Lee. Sadly, Lee passed away, and Gunn expressed his deep appreciation for working with and directing him on multiple occasions throughout the Marvel movies.
Stan Lee’s Cameo Legacy
Stan Lee made his presence felt in a multitude of Marvel films over the years, commencing with X-Men in 2000. However, his inaugural appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe transpired in Iron Man, the film directed by Jon Favreau that served as the inception point for the entire MCU. In this cinematic gem, Lee graced a dazzling gala where Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark amusingly mistook him for Hugh Hefner.
Stan Lee had numerous memorable appearances in various Marvel films throughout the years. His journey began with 2000’s X-Men, marking the start of his delightful cameos. However, it was in 2008’s Iron Man, directed by Jon Favreau, where he made his first cameo appearance within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, igniting the path for the entire MCU. Lee’s cameo in Iron Man took place at a glamorous gala, where he humorously found himself mistaken for Hugh Hefner by Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark.
