Every Stan Lee Cameo Ranked

Face front, True Believers! We’ve got the definitive ranking of every single one of Stan Lee’s cinematic cameos.
Stan Lee

10. Stan Lee (Mallrats)

This scene has it all: love, pathos, and obsession over the composition of superhero dorks. Classic Kevin Smith. Look, he wrote a beautiful exchange and got himself a chance to direct Stan Lee through four and a half minutes of screen time. Lee, who plays himself, talks to Brodie, played by Jason Lee (no relation), about the importance of love. As Brodie obsesses about the various appendages of the Fantastic Four, Stan the Man patiently imparts the message that success is nothing if you don’t have someone with whom to share it. Earnest, heartfelt, and human to the core. And then comes the reveal that it was flimflammery! It turns out Brodie’s friend T.S., played by Jeremy London, has put Lee up to this “Chance Encounter.” Not only that, but Lee parroted his own Vulture’s Soliloquy from the Spider-Man anniversary issue, “Love Be A Vulture Tonight.” Lee was always a good sport when it came to these cameos. Especially here, where he gleefully embraced the role of himself as a well-meaning huckster ready to pilfer his own material. Side note, “Love Be A Vulture Tonight” was not a real issue of Spider-Man. – William Dass


9. Bartender (Ant-Man)

Playing “Where’s Stan?” has always been a small part of the MCU’s grand appeal. For over a decade, we’ve entered these movies with the eye of a hawk and studied every frame intently to make sure that we spot him. Is Ant-Man Lee’s best MCU cameo? I don’t think so. It is, however, the only one where he speaks with Michael Pena’s accent, and that’s a form of cinematic magic that you just don’t see every day. – Kieran Fisher


8. Not Hugh Hefner (Iron Man)

Stan Lee was an icon in the comics world for decades. Following the success of the Spider-Man films, Lee was primed to become a household name as the MCU took flight. What if Tony Stark mistook him for another distinguished gentleman who’d journeyed over to the mainstream from a subculture. You look great, Hef! Lee plays it cool and slightly confused. What’s happening? Who’s talking to me? – William Dass


7. Gary (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Honestly, the real draw of this cameo is its sheer endearment factor, but it does perfectly reinforce the fact that Peter Parker as a protagonist who is helpful, overeager, and awkward as hell, too. Rounding out a series of friendly neighborhood Spider-Man shenanigans, Lee appears… all just to call the hero out. If anything, the scene is just a glorious excuse to hear Lee reprimand one of his creations and call him a “punk.” – Sheryl Oh


6. Fred’s Dad (Big Hero 6)

This is one of the most satisfying of Lee’s cameos; definitely my personal all-time favorite. The relevance of Lee’s character throughout the course of Big Hero 6 was kept to a minimum; the mysterious mansion-owning father of one of the eponymous group’s members would’ve happily functioned as a static portrait homage. But when Lee literally emerges from the shadows during the post-credits scene, hinting at the very future of such an excellent team-up, it actually feels substantial. It’s fitting that the image of a Marvel legend takes on this active, if brief, role of ushering in a new era of superherodom. – Sheryl Oh


5. Man in Times Square (Spider-Man 3)

This one’s always been a personal favorite. While Spider-Man 3 may be weakest of the trilogy, there are a handful of lovely moments throughout, and perhaps best of these is Stan Lee’s heartwarming cameo. While his brief appearances in the previous two movies were blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos, here he finally gets to interact with his best creation and offer some wisdom. As a glum Peter looks at a headline detailing Spider-Man’s latest act of heroism, Lee comes along with the words “I guess one person can make a difference, ‘nuff said.” It’s a touching scene, and Tobey Maguire’s reaction really makes it work, looking as though a weight has been lifted off of his shoulders. Corny? Absolutely, but it’s very sweet nonetheless and feels especially poignant now that he’s gone. – Hayden Cornmell


4. Thirsty Gambler (Black Panther)

Why is it so common for characters in casino scenes to casually walk away from their chips? At least in Casino Royale, Bond colors up before he leaves the table. In Black Panther, we’re transported to an amazing casino scene. So, Ryan Coogler has to solve this problem. We love seeing people at gambling tables. But, things are going to kick off and you can’t just leave money lying around on a table in a casino. People will notice. T’Challa doesn’t need or care about the chips. And yet, he rolled and won. Everett Ross can’t make up his mind about how to handle any of this, let alone an unexpected windfall. Somebody has to come in a scoop up the pieces. Cue Mr. Lee. Nobody really owns those, right? I’ll just hang on to them, he says. – William Dass


3. D-Day Vet (Avengers: Age of Ultron)

At a Stark Tower party, Thor brags about the strength of his Asgardian liquor when a familiar voice interjects, calling him “blondie” and telling the God of Thunder to “stop trying to scare us.” Of course, Stan Lee’s World War II veteran brazenly takes a shot of what was described as “not intended for mortal men.” And the following hard cut to Stan being carried out, slurring his way through his famous catchphrase got perhaps the biggest laugh I’ve ever heard for a Stan cameo. A simple gag, but one that lands perfectly, plus it’s super fun to see him interact with (and insult) the Avengers. Excelsior! – Hayden Cornmell


2. Barber (Thor: Ragnarok)

If you’re a believer in the theory that in all of Stan Lee’s cameos, he’s playing the same character (one supported by his appearance in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, stay tuned) this one is particularly fun. And even putting aside the idea that he’s getting revenge on Thor for the incident at Stark Tower by cutting his beloved hair, this cameo is just so infectiously funny. Stan’s turn as a sadistic barber with one hell of a hand/hair cutting contraption is one of the most bizarre entries on this list, and I have no doubt was one of the most fun to shoot too. – Hayden Cornmell


1. The Watcher’s Informant (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2)

This one had to be number one. There really is no other choice. James Gunn gifts us the ultimate Stan Lee cameo by revealing that he exists on a cosmic level with the great Watchers of the Universe. As he explains, “That time, I was a Federal Express man” recalling his triumphantly sick Tony Stark burn in Captain America: Civil War. Yes, it’s the only thing that makes sense. Of course, Stan Lee is an omnipotent being. He concocted the whole shebang with a little help from his friends Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Joe Simon, etc. They’re probably bouncing around the MCU somewhere too. Get your pause button ready and start searching. – Brad Gullickson

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Brad Gullickson: Brad Gullickson is a Weekly Columnist for Film School Rejects and Senior Curator for One Perfect Shot. When not rambling about movies here, he's rambling about comics as the co-host of Comic Book Couples Counseling. Hunt him down on Twitter: @MouthDork. (He/Him)