Stan Lee, the man who gave the world Spider-Man, Black Widow, the X-Men, and countless other Marvel icons, is remembered as a creative genius and a beloved pop culture figure. But behind the smiles and signature cameos, his final years were marred by a darker reality.
A new documentary, Stan Lee: The Final Chapter, directed by Jon Bolerjack, promises to shed light on the exploitation, manipulation, and abuse the Marvel legend endured in his twilight years.
The trailer for the documentary, which is currently seeking funding via Kickstarter, paints a grim picture of Lee’s final days. It reveals how those closest to him allegedly used his declining health and fame to line their own pockets, turning his public appearances and memorabilia into a cash cow.
But as the documentary seeks to expose the exploitation Lee faced, it also raises uncomfortable questions about its own motives—and why Bolerjack, who had intimate access to Lee during this time, didn’t come forward sooner.
Stan Lee: The Final Chapter draws from hundreds of hours of footage captured by Bolerjack, who worked as Lee’s assistant and was a fixture in his inner circle. The documentary chronicles how Lee’s vulnerability was exploited by those who should have been protecting him.
According to Bolerjack, Lee’s public appearances became a lucrative business for others, with his autographs and photo ops generating massive profits—profits that often didn’t make their way to Lee or his family.
The film also revisits the elder abuse allegations that surfaced in Lee’s final years, including the restraining order he filed against his former business partner, Keya Morgan, just months before his death.
Morgan was accused of manipulating Lee, convincing him he was in danger, and isolating him from his family and trusted friends. He was later arrested for elder abuse, but the damage had already been done.
While the documentary aims to honor Lee’s legacy and highlight the need for greater protection of public figures in their later years, it’s hard to ignore the irony of Bolerjack’s role in this story. As someone who had intimate access to Lee during this time, Bolerjack filmed everything he witnessed but waited years to share it.
The footage, which is now being used to fund the documentary, raises questions about why Bolerjack didn’t come forward sooner to protect Lee. If he had such a clear view of the exploitation happening around him, why didn’t he intervene? Instead, he’s now using this footage to create a film that, while important, could also be seen as profiting from Lee’s pain.
