In its two weeks in theaters, Avengers: Endgame has been aptly named as it is a film of endings; endings for characters, stories and an unprecedented cinematic arc that dates back to 2008. It also marks the last MCU cameo of Stan Lee, who passed away in November. That sad reality must have been on Jeremy Renner’s mind because the Hawkeye actor has shared a video of a moment he spent with the late comics legend. Check it out:
With the accuracy of an arrow loosed from Hawkeye’s bow, this video hits the bullseye of bittersweetness. It is incredibly heartwarming and puts a smile on your face to see Jeremy Renner and Stan Lee together. It also reminds us that a wonderful person, who personally and through his creations touched so many, is now gone from the world.
Part of what’s great about this video from Jeremy Renner’s Instagram is that the expression on his face is the same one that many of us would have if we got to meet and interact with Stan Lee. He can’t hold back his gleeful smile and he clearly has genuine affection for the man who, along with artist Don Heck, created his character Hawkeye all the way back in the 1960s.
The post itself is a tribute to Stan Lee and Jeremy Renner even offers a little bow of deference to him in the video. And if there was any doubt, Jeremy Renner makes it plain how he feels about Stan Lee with the video’s caption.
The other thing that comes across is how gracious Stan Lee always seemed to be. He always appeared thrilled just to be a part of everything and see how far comic book characters, some of whom, like Hawkeye, he had a direct hand in creating, have come in pop culture.
This video is also just another reminder that although he is most famous for what he did sitting behind a desk writing stories, Stan Lee was made for the spotlight, and he knew how to play to the camera and a crowd better than just about anybody. His comic book poses are just great and you can tell how much fun he was having.
It’s a shame that he never got to see Avengers: Endgame, but that’s both the tragedy and the beauty of it. Stan Lee created and helped create characters that people connected with and whose stories became a permanent part of pop culture. His characters would always outlast him and in that way he too lives on.
Jeremy Renner’s Instagram video remembering Stan Lee won’t be the last time the legend is honored. Marvel is making a supercut of Stan Lee’s famous cameos and Avengers: Endgame directors The Russo Brothers have hinted that they are working on something of a documentary about him.
You can see Stan Lee’s last MCU cameo in Avengers: Endgame, now playing. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see all the movies you can look forward to this year.
