New documentary reveals Stan Lee’s final years of alleged exploitation

5 hrs ago

Kennedy Felton Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer

By Kennedy Felton (Lifestyle Correspondent/Producer), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)

Stan Lee, the mastermind behind iconic superheroes like Spider-Man and Black Panther, is the subject of a new documentary. “Stan Lee: The Final Chapter” reveals the struggles and exploitation he faced in his final years.
Jon Bolerjack, Lee’s assistant, documented hundreds of hours of conversations and interviews, providing a personal look into Lee’s later years.
The documentary’s Kickstarter campaign aims to raise $300,000 to complete the film.

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Stan Lee, the mastermind behind some of the most iconic superheroes, including Spider-Man, the X-Men and Black Panther, is now the subject of a new documentary. “Stan Lee: The Final Chapter” claims to expose the struggles and exploitation he faced in his final years.

A personal look at Stan Lee’s final years

Jon Bolerjack, who worked as Lee’s assistant, documented hundreds of hours of candid conversations and interviews. He traveled the world with the Marvel legend and captured behind-the-scenes moments from his later years.

“For the last four years of Stan Lee’s life, I was his assistant, his confidant, but most importantly—his friend,” Bolerjack said in the film’s trailer.

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Bolerjack claims that during those years, he witnessed troubling situations where people allegedly manipulated and took advantage of Lee.

The documentary’s funding campaign

Along with the trailer, Bolerjack launched a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the completion of “Stan Lee: The Final Chapter.” The campaign aims to raise $300,000.

As of Wednesday, March 12, it has collected nearly $40,000 from over 200 backers. According to the Kickstarter page, the funds will be used to pay crew members who previously volunteered their time, cover equipment rental, editing, and other production costs.

Speculation about exploitation isn’t new

Concerns about Lee’s treatment in his final years have been widely discussed. In 2018, The Hollywood Reporter published a piece titled “Stan Lee’s Final Year Marked by Chaos and Betrayal.” The report detailed how his life changed after the passing of his wife, Joanie, in 2017.

For decades, Joanie had handled much of his business affairs, including his finances and public appearances. After her death, Lee became increasingly reliant on his inner circle, which some reports suggest led to financial and personal exploitation.

A similar 2018 report from AARP questioned whether Lee’s final year was marked by caregiving or elder abuse. The publication referenced a viral video showing Lee struggling to sign comic books while someone repeatedly spelled out his name for him.

Lawsuits and legal battles

In his final years, Lee was involved in multiple legal battles. He sued his own company, POW! Entertainment, alleging that executives stole his name and likeness. He also faced allegations of elder abuse from close associates.

Additionally, Lee was caught in legal disputes over the ownership of his iconic Marvel characters. Some lawsuits were dropped, but others painted a troubling picture of his declining control over his personal and professional affairs.

Bolerjack admits he broke a fundamental rule of documentary filmmaking: becoming too close to his subject. However, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Lee gave his blessing for the project before his passing in 2018.

Tags: Celebrities, Entertainment, film, Hollywood, Marvel, movies

[KENNEDY FELTON]

He was the mastermind behind some of the most iconic superheroes – Spider Man, the X-Men, Black Panther. But a new documentary claims to uncover the alleged exploitation and struggles Stan Lee faced in his final years.

“For the last four years of Stanley’s life, I was his assistant, his confidant, but most importantly – his friend.”

Jon Bolerjack – who traveled the world with Lee as his assistant – documented everything along the way, including hundreds of hours of candid conversations and interviews. “Seeing Stan in that situation, being taken advantage of, was really hard to watch.”

And the footage even reveals some of the difficult situations Lee found himself in, up until his death in 2018 at the age of 95.

“I thought I was finished… but apparently I’m not.” “No.”

The documentary, “Stan Lee: The Final Chapter,” launched its trailer Tuesday. And with it, Bolerjack is making a request to help get the film completed to seek justice for Lee.

He’s turned to Kickstarter to fund the project, with a goal of raising $300,000. As of early Wednesday afternoon, the campaign has gathered nearly $40,000 from over 200 backers. The money, according to the Kickstarter, will go toward paying crew members who have volunteered their time, covering equipment rentals, editing, and other production costs.

But speculation about Lee’s exploitation isn’t new. Back in 2018, The Hollywood Reporter published a deep dive titled “Stan Lee’s Final Year Marked by Chaos and Betrayal,” detailing how Lee’s life changed drastically after the death of his wife Joanie in 2017, who had previously handled much of his business – from finances to public appearances.

In 2020, AARP also raised questions about whether Lee’s final year was marked by caregiving or elder abuse. One clip the article referenced was from 2018, showing Lee struggling to sign his own name for fans while someone repeatedly spelled it out for him.

“Stan Lee, S-T-A-N L-E-E…”

In his final years, Marvel legend Lee also found himself entangled in multiple legal battles. From suing his own company, POW! Entertainment, for allegedly stealing his name and likeness, to allegedly facing elder abuse by close associates, his later life was far from the superhero stories he created. He also fought off allegations of sexual misconduct and legal disputes over the ownership of his iconic characters. While some lawsuits were dropped, others painted a troubling picture of a man caught in a web of exploitation and controversy.

Bolerjack admits he broke a rule in documentary making – becoming too close to his subject. But according to The Hollywood Reporter, Lee gave his blessing for the project before his passing.