Stan Lee voice and likeness brought back in ElevenLabs AI licensing deal

Stan Lee’s voice and likeness will be recreated using artificial intelligence following a new licensing agreement between ElevenLabs and Stan Lee Universe, according to Variety.

The AI audio company has partnered with Stan Lee Universe, a joint venture between Genius Brands International and POW! Entertainment, to bring the late Marvel Comics creator’s voice and likeness into its Iconic Marketplace. The platform allows companies to license AI-generated celebrity voices and digital personas for approved use.

According to Variety, the agreement will allow users to hear Stan Lee narrate books through ElevenLabs’ reading tools, while also generating his likeness in comic-style visual templates. These visuals are restricted to non-commercial use, while the voice tools can be used within the platform’s approved applications.

ElevenLabs stated that the AI model was trained using professional recordings of Stan Lee. The company released a promotional video featuring the AI-generated voice of Lee, which says, “You know what they never tell you about legends? They outlive the page.”

Chaz Rainey, a board member of Stan Lee Universe, told Variety the partnership is intended to preserve Lee’s legacy while allowing fans to experience his storytelling voice in a modern digital format. He added that Lee always valued connecting with fans across different media platforms.

The deal reflects a growing trend in the entertainment industry, where estates and companies are increasingly licensing the digital likenesses of deceased celebrities for AI-generated content. ElevenLabs already offers a range of historical and entertainment voices within its platform.

Stan Lee, who died in 2018 at the age of 95, had previously been licensed by Marvel in 2022 for posthumous appearances across film, television, and theme park experiences.