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SYFY WIRE Stan Lee

Samuel L. Jackson reveals how the late Stan Lee could still cameo in future Marvel movies

By Josh Grossberg
Samuel L. Jackson Captain Marvel panel

In the Marvel universe, death isn't necessarily final. Just ask Nick Fury. At a press conference in Singapore to promote next month's release of Captain Marvel, Samuel L. Jackson talked about reprising his eye patch-wearing S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury in the '90s-set movie.

But perhaps the most interesting revelation to arise out of a fan Q&A was his thoughts on the late legendary Stan Lee.

To the crowd's delight, Jackson suggested that despite the passing of the comic book icon last year, Lee's tradition of appearing in a cameo in every Marvel movie could theoretically still continue — thanks to the magic of digital technology.

"He'll be missed and I'm sure, well, the way they scan us, he might still end up in every Marvel movie we do," the 70-year-old actor answered in the livestream presented via ABC News. "You'll be shocked. 'I thought he was dead. When did he shoot this?' So they probably got a lot of stuff they can stick Stan in just because they scan the rest of us. If they scanned him anywhere near as much as they scan us…"

At this point, the live stream briefly cuts out before Larson — who stars as U.S. Air Force pilot Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel — jumps in to elaborate on how Marvel's effects wizards could really do it.

"There's a room that has like 100 cameras in it and it scans," she added. "It does like a 3D scan of your body like it could create like a hologram."

"I don't think they're supposed to know that," Jackson chimed in.

"Oh really? You said it," exclaimed the actress.

"I just said they did it. I didn't tell them how they did it," he replied.

"Oh, sorry. Well, the Marvel ninjas are gonna come after me now," joked Larson.

"She's in trouble," deadpanned Jackson.

Marvel head Kevin Feige has not indicated whether a digital Lee will be forthcoming in any future MCU entry. But considering Stan the Man's responsible for creating most of Marvel's superheroes, is beloved by the fanbase and given comic books' penchant for bringing back characters after they're demise, immortalizing the Excelsior! Maven in cinematic form isn't entirely out of the question.

As for Jackson, when asked how Lee impacted his life personally, the Avengers star admitted he doesn't normally feel the comic book mastermind's spirit on set. Nor did he ever really know where Lee would pop up in Captain Marvel or other Marvel films. But nevertheless, the Hollywood star paid tribute to Lee's pioneering spirit and  expressed what that meant to him.

"I've been reading comic books all my life, so Stan's been one of the great influences of, you know, my life in terms of who they are, how I feel about them, what I think they can do, what I think I'm capable of, and what it means to be on the inside playing particular characters," Jackson replied.

Well said.

Captain Marvel, which costars Jude Law, Clark Gregg, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace and Gemma Chan, hits theaters on March 8.

After which we can expect Marvel's latest (and biggest) female superhero to heed Nick Fury's emergency text call just before the Snap turned him to dust and join Tony Stark and the gang in stopping Thanos in Avengers: Endgame, due out April 26.