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- Primary Subject: Stan Lee's voice and likeness AI licensing deal
- Key Update: Voice cloning company ElevenLabs has signed a major deal with Stan Lee Universe to resurrect the late Marvel legend's voice and image for commercial and consumer digital use.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: May 28, 2026
- Quick Answer: ElevenLabs has officially licensed Stan Lee's voice and likeness from Stan Lee Universe, allowing companies and users to generate digital content using his persona.
The boundaries of digital resurrection have been pushed yet again. In a move that has sent shockwaves through both the tech industry and the comic book industry, ElevenLabs has finalized a groundbreaking partnership to bring one of pop culture's greatest icons back from the grave. Here's the breakdown of the new deal.
Marvel and ElevenLabs Make a Pact for Stan Lee's Legendary Comeback
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Voice cloning specialist ElevenLabs announced a new major licensing agreement with Stan Lee Universe, a joint venture managed by Genius Brands International and POW! Entertainment that controls the rights to the icon's post-Marvel IP.
The historic deal adds Lee's digital clone to ElevenLabs' "Iconic Marketplace", a digital library where corporate clients can legally license the voices and likenesses of deceased and living celebrities for commercial marketing and entertainment projects.
"You know what they never tell you about legends?" the AI-generated version of Stan Lee said in a video released by ElevenLabs, "They outlive the page."
Starting Wednesday, users can generate the Spider-Man and Iron Man co-creator's likeness through the templates inspired by comic book panels on its visual generator, or even use his voice to narrate any book through its Eleven Reader app. The voice was trained on professional recordings of Lee, according to ElevenLabs.
Chaz Rainey, a lawyer and board member for Stan Lee Universe, said that Stan "always believed in meeting his fans where they were." May it be the pages of a comic, at a convention, or on-screen cameos.
Rainey added, "This partnership is a way of continuing that. Fans have always told us that when they read his comics, they hear the words in Stan's voice, and now, thanks to ElevenLabs, we can make that a reality."
Has Stan Lee Ever Permitted AI? Pact Faces Backlash from Fans
Unsurprisingly, the announcement has faced immense backlash from fans and industry purists who view the digital resurrection as a highly exploitative "grave-robbing" stunt.
As for whether Lee ever directly permitted artificial intelligence to use his persona, the reality is legally complex. While Lee himself did not sign off on modern generative AI tech before his passing, Marvel Studios independently secured a massive 20-year deal with Stan Lee Universe in 2022 to use his name, voice, and likeness in future films, shows, and theme park experiences.
Because the rights to his post-Marvel likeness are fully controlled by the estate's joint venture, the deal proceeds legally despite lacking the creator's explicit, firsthand consent during his lifetime.
For now, ElevenLabs' partnership allows them to launch a new series, Stan Lee Book Club of the Month, which will use Lee's voice to narrate a different book each month to commemorate the late creator's love for books.
"With great power comes great responsibility," Lee's replicated voice says in the video, "Excelsior!"
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