Genius Brands International and Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment are collaborating on a deal to create the Stan Lee Universe for properties that were made by Lee outside of Marvel Entertainment. Stan Lee Universe will assume worldwide rights, in perpetuity, to the name, physical likeness, physical signature, live-action and animated motion picture, television, online, digital, publishing, comic book, merchandising and licensing rights to Stan Lee and his IP creations past, present and going forward.
In announcing the deal Genius Brands chairman and CEO Andy Heyward said, “In all of Hollywood, there is no greater prize. This is the Holy Grail. Stan Lee Universe is a once in a lifetime asset drawn from over 100 original, heretofore unexploited properties, created by the most successful creator of intellectual property of our time.”
Lee, who died in 2018, was the creator, writer, editor and publisher of superhero comic characters, including Spider-Man, the X-Men, Thor, Iron Man, Black Panther and the Fantastic Four. His credits also include Captain America, Ms. Marvel, Silver Surfer, Ant-Man, Nick Fury, Guardians of the Galaxy and The Avengers.
Lee created POW! Entertainment in 2001 to manage his creator rights and licenses as it developed film, TV and video game properties. That company and Genius Brands already co-produced the adult animated series Stan Lee’s Cosmic Crusaders.
According to Genius Brands, Stan Lee Universe programs would be part of its new Kartoon Channel.
