LOS ANGELES, Nov 13: Hollywood bigwigs, including Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans and Hugh Jackman, Tuesday mourned the death of Marvel legend Stan Lee.
Lee, who revolutionized pop culture as the co-creator of iconic superheroes characters such as Spider-Man, Thor and The Hulk, died early Monday at the age of 95. He had suffered a number of illnesses in recent years.
Many of his characters were turned into major film franchises that earned Marvel billions of dollars in profits.
In a statement, Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger condoled the death of “Marvel Chairman Emeritus, Stan Lee”.
“Stan Lee was as extraordinary as the characters he created. A superhero in his own right to Marvel fans around the world, Stan had the power to inspire, to entertain and to connect. The scale of his imagination was only exceeded by the size of his heart,” he said.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige tweeted, “No one has had more of an impact on my career and everything we do at Marvel Studios than Stan Lee. Stan leaves an extraordinary legacy that will outlive us all. Our thoughts are with his daughter, his family, and his millions of fans. #ThankYouStan #Excelsior!”.
Evans and Downey Jr, who play Captain America and Iron in the Marvel cinematic universe, also condoled his death.
“There will never be another Stan Lee. For decades he provided both young and old with adventure, escape, comfort, confidence, inspiration, strength, friendship and joy. He exuded love and kindness and will leave an indelible mark on so, so, so many lives. Excelsior!!” Evans tweeted.
Downey Jr posted his old picture with the comic book legend on Instagram and wrote, “I owe it all to you… Rest In Peace Stan… #MCU #Excelsior #legend #rip #stanlee #TeamStark”
Jackman, who played the X-Men character Wolverine in eight films across 17 years, called Lee a “creative genius”.
“Stan Lee was a pioneering force in the superhero universe. I’m proud to have been a small part of his legacy and …. To have helped bring one of his characters to life. #StanLee #Wolverine” he wrote on Twitter.
“Thor” actor Chris Hemsworth shared an image of Lee in the character’s traditional helmet and holding Mjolnir on Instagram.
“RIP my friend. Thank you for the incredible adventures your stories took all of us on. My love and support goes out to all your friends and family,” Hemsworth said.
“Deadpool” star Ryan Reynolds posted a picture of Lee’s cameo from the film’s sequel on Twitter and wrote, “Damn… RIP Stan. Thanks for everything.”
Actor Tom Holland, who plays Marvel’s latest iteration of Spider-Man also shared a picture of his with Lee.
“How many millions of us are indebted to this guy, none more so than me. The father of Marvel has made so many people so incredibly happy. What a life and what a thing to have achieved. Rest in peace Stan,” he said.
Scarlett Johansson, who has portrayed Black Widow in the “Avengers” franchise, said, “The galaxy just gained another Dog Star. Thankful everyday to be a small part of Stan’s universe. He was a legendary visionary and a true artist.”
Director duo Anthony and Joe Russo thanked Lee for filling their childhoods with “such joy”.
Actor Chris Pratt, who portrays Peter Quill aka Star Lord in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” film said, “Thanks for everything Stan Lee! What a life, so well lived. I consider myself extraordinarily lucky to have gotten to meet you and to have played in the world you created.”
Mark Ruffalo said Lee made the world a better place through the power of modern mythology and his love of “this messy business of being human”.
“You let us be extra human… Superhuman even. I am deeply honoured to have been a small part in the Stan Lee constellation,” he added.
The official Twitter handle of DC Comics also paid tribute to Lee, saying that he changed the way we look at heroes and asserting that modern comics will always bear his indelible mark.
“His infectious enthusiasm reminded us why we all fell in love with these stories in the first place. Excelsior, Stan.”
Actor Samuel L Jackson wrote, “Thank you @TheRealStanLee for the escape from this world & great joy inhabiting the ones you created!! You made so many believe in the good, the heroic, the villainous, the exciting, most of all, you were giving & gracious to us all. RIP.”
Actors Dwayne Johnson, Jeremy Renner, Jamie Lee Curtis and Josh Brolin also posted their tributes.
“What a man. What a life. When I first broke into Hollywood, he welcomed me with open arms and some very sage advice I’ll forever take to heart. A true icon who impacted generations around the world. Rest in love, my friend. #imagination #stanlee” Johnson wrote.
Brolin said: “Stan Lee and Dr. Seuss and Ray Bradbury. That’s where it begins and ends with me. To those of us who have been so deeply affected by the humanity of his imagination, the understanding of reaching beyond our potential and the necessity of tapping into our immeasurable imaginations, we thank you and are forever indebted…” (PTI)
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