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Genius Brands and Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment create Stan Lee Universe

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stan lee universe

Genius Brands International has struck a joint venture with Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment to create the Stan Lee Universe, which is described as “the Holy Grail”.

Stan Lee Universe will take on the merchandising and licensing rights to Stan Lee and his intellectual property (IP), including the name, physical likeness and signature, film, television, online, digital, publishing, and comic books.

Stan Lee Universe is jointly owned, and Genius Brands will be the managing and controlling partner of the joint venture.

Andy Heyward, chairman and CEO of Genius Brands, said: “In all of Hollywood, there is no greater prize. This is the Holy Grail.

Stan Lee Universe built from 100 original characters

“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 was previously the editor and creative force behind Marvel Comics, which was sold to the Walt Disney Company for $4.4 billion.

His creations include Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Panther, The Incredible Hulk, X-Men, Thor, Captain America, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Avengers.

Stan Lee Universe will be built from more than 100 original characters and IP created by Lee outside of Marvel Entertainment. It will develop and license around seven properties per year.

‘Greatest stories of Stan Lee have yet to be told’

“It’s almost impossible to conceive that one mind created all this wealth,” said Heyward. “The spinoffs alone defy the imagination.

“From animated television, to toys, apparel, video games, and every conceivable licensed product imaginable, Stan Lee characters populate the screens and retail shelves worldwide.

“I have no doubt that the greatest characters, the greatest stories, and the greatest hits from the mind of Stan Lee have yet to be told. As big as Spider Man, Black Panther, X Men, and the Avengers are today, tomorrow it will be Stan Lee’s Tomorrow Men, his Stringbean, his Black Fury, and Virus.”

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Bea Mitchell

Bea is a journalist specialising in entertainment, attractions and tech with 10 years' experience. She has written and edited for publications including CNET, BuzzFeed, Digital Spy, Evening Standard and BBC. Bea graduated from King's College London and has an MA in journalism.

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