Hollywood’s biggest names from the stage, screen and television, along with luminaries from the world of comics and thousands of adoring fans, gathered Wednesday evening at the iconic TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to celebrate the life and career of legendary storyteller, Stan Lee. “Excelsior! A Celebration of the Amazing, Fantastic, Incredible & Uncanny Life of Stan Lee” was a fitting tribute to the man many simply referred to as “Stan,” but who was revered as a hero like the many unforgettable ones he created.
The historic, star-studded event was attended by dozens of Stan’s closest industry friends, as well as many creators and entertainers who paid respects and shared fond memories of the man who influenced their lives, many since childhood. Kevin Smith, Mark Hamill, Laurence Fishburne, Seth Green, RZA, Black Eyed Peas apl.de.ap and Taboo, Clark Gregg, Felicia Day, Wesley Snipes, Phil Lord, Amy Pascal, Bill Duke, Wesley Snipes, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, cast members from Marvel’s “The Runaways,” cast members from FX’s “Legion,” and Fox’s “The Gifted,” were among many who shared personal stories, read Stan’s favorite poetry or performed during the historic tribute.
Smith said during the tribute, “I knew Stan for 23 years, and one of the most ironic things I thought about today was that he didn’t understand his own genius in this lifetime. This was a man who spent most of his life dreaming of writing the great American novel, and never realized he had done it so many times, over and over again.”
The tribute commenced at the TCL Chinese Theatre forecourt, where fans left flowers, candles and other keepsakes around a memorial centered around Stan’s cement imprint, and signed a book of condolences. Fans were immersed in a world of Stan through art, including iconic photos, artwork, Stan’s classic comic books and memorabilia also on display, along with a special preview of pop-culture artist Rob Prior’s upcoming gallery show The Legacy Collection of Stan Lee. Prior completed a live painting in the forecourt and artist Jennifer Contini featured her series “This Love Lives On” featuring images of Stan Lee. Attendees also indulged in one of Stan’s favorite snacks, White Castle, as the White Castle Crave Mobile served sliders in the forecourt.
Producers of the event, fan-owned Legion M’s Terri Lubaroff and David Baxter, Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment’s Bob Sabouni and Agents of Mayhem’s Darren Passarello, greeted fans and introduced several public speakers before Kevin Smith arrived and assembled an honor guard of world class cosplayers representing many of Stan’s co-creations, including Avengers, Spider-Man, Dr. Strange, and more who paid their respects and led the crowd in a final salute to this legendary pop culture icon accompanied by a police band of pipes and drums playing “Amazing Grace.”
Veterans from Veterans in Media & Entertainment and The American Legion of Hollywood Post 43 honored Stan for his service during World War II, and Chief Paul Cell, President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, recognized Stan’s contributions for his work supporting law enforcement and creating safer communities.
Family from the other co-creators of the Marvel Universe attended to pay their respects and joined in the celebration, including Tracy and Jeremy Kirby, grandchildren of Jack Kirby, Mark and Stephen Ditko, nephews of Steve Ditko, and Jenna Parker, daughter of Sol Brodsky, all of whom were part of the original Marvel Bullpen.
After red-carpet arrivals, the tribute continued in the TCL Chinese IMAX Theatre where Kevin Smith moderated conversations with celebrity speakers from the entertainment industry including Seth Green, Michael Uslan (Executive Producer, “The Dark Knight”), Tom DeSanto (Executive Producer, “X-Men”), as well as a heartfelt message from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.
Actor Laurence Fishburne said, “I was a New York City boy, and Stan was writing about what was outside my window. That was so important because it was about the place where I was from, and that just opened my eyes to the possibility that you could be so much more.”
Nikki Frakes, director “With Great Power: The Stan Lee Story” remembered a conversation she had with Stan, “I asked him, like he had been asked so many times, what would your superpower be? And normally he says ‘love’, but that night he said ‘immortality’. Looking out and seeing everyone here tonight I think we all know that he has achieved that immortality in each of us.”
Members of the creative team behind the Academy Award®-nominated “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” including writer/producer Phil Lord and producers Chris Miller, Avi Arad and Amy Pascal were also on stage to honor Stan. Producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Derek Hoffman rounded off the evening’s panels as they spoke to and celebrated the modern impact of Stan’s characters through two decades of X-Men in film and television.
Former Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad said, “Marvel was always the standout in storytelling. It was about humanity. People being friendly, people being frail, people being afraid, and showing us that anyone can be a hero.”
The evening also included discussions with stars from the comics world and Stan’s personal friends, including Marv Wolfman (Blade creator), Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer Joe Quesada and Executive VP, Head of Television Jeph Loeb, artist Bill Sienkiewicz (Elektra: Assassin), and Stan’s business partner at Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment, Gill Champion, its president.
The celebration also featured video tributes from stars who are unable to attend, including Dwayne Johnson, William Shatner, George Takei, and David Tennant, as well as live celebrity performances of Stan’s favorite music and poetry.
The tribute event was produced by Fan-Owned entertainment company Legion M, multi-media company Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment, and production and consulting company Agents of Mayhem. Legion M organized Stan Lee’s hand and foot imprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in 2017. Darren Passarello, Agents of Mayhem founder, worked for Stan for several years. Both companies worked closely with Bob Sabouni, Chief Marketing Officer of Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment. Under the leadership of Scott D. Williams, CEO, and Gill Champion, president, the company has been and will continue to ensure Stan Lee’s legacy continues on for generations to come.
Many incredible sponsors made Stan’s tribute a reality and the event’s producers would like to thank 1540, Los Angeles Comic Con, the San Francisco Giants, Lyft, Heritage Auctions, Sony PlayStation, Good Greek Grill, TCL Chinese Theatre, TCL Corporate, White Castle, Audible, Constellation Spirits, Wine and Beer, Dave & Busters, Deluxe, Elevated Chefs, Floor 84, Foundry Literary + Media, GBK, Golden Apple Comics, Veterans in Media & Entertainment, The American Legion of Hollywood Post 43, Entertainment Earth, Audible, Lootcrate.
All net proceeds from the event will go to the non-profit organization The Hero Initiative, a charity supporting comic book creators, artists and writers in need. Producers of the tribute event will continue to share memories from the event via social media feeds. Feel free to follow the social channels for Kevin Smith, Legion M, Agents of Mayhem, and Stan Lee’s POW! Entertainment. (@TheRealStanLee, @ThatKevinSmith, @LegionMOfficial, @AgentsofMayhem).
Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr., affectionately known as Jr NTR, has consistently enthralled audiences with his dynamic performances and versatile acting prowess. Following the successful release of “Devara: Part 1” on September 27, 2024, fans are eagerly anticipating his forthcoming projects. Here’s an overview of what’s next for this action superstar.
1. Devara: Part 2
After the resounding success of “Devara: Part 1,” which grossed over ₹466 crore globally, the sequel is highly anticipated. Director Koratala Siva has hinted that “Devara: Part 2” will be even more intense, stating that if Part 1 showcased 10% of Jr NTR’s capabilities, Part 2 will unveil the remaining 90%. Filming is slated to commence in the first half of 2026, with a targeted release by the end of that year.
2. War 2
Expanding his horizons, Jr NTR is set to make his Hindi film debut with “War 2,” directed by Ayan Mukerji. This sequel to the 2019 blockbuster “War” will see him sharing screen space with Hrithik Roshan and Kiara Advani. The film is part of the YRF Spy Universe and is scheduled for release on August 14, 2025, coinciding with the Indian Independence Day weekend.
3. NTR 31 (Tentative Title: Dragon)
In collaboration with acclaimed director Prashanth Neel, Jr NTR will star in a period drama tentatively titled “Dragon.” The film is set to delve into themes of immigration and is expected to be one of the most expensive projects for both the actor and the director. The movie is slated for a grand release on January 9, 2026.
Why Jr NTR is the Action Hero Everyone Wants to See
Jr NTR’s appeal as an action hero stems from his ability to seamlessly blend intense physicality with deep emotional resonance. His performances are characterized by a compelling screen presence, dynamic energy, and a remarkable ability to connect with audiences across diverse roles. This unique combination of skills has solidified his status as a leading figure in Indian cinema, making him the action hero everyone wants to see.
With a lineup of diverse and high-profile projects, Jr NTR continues to push cinematic boundaries and captivate audiences worldwide. His dedication to his craft and ability to reinvent himself with each role ensure that fans have much to look forward to in the coming years.
Headed to a wilderness retreat of a wealthy pharmaceutical CEO to hopefully land a lucrative job, widower Elliot and his reluctant daughter Ridley manage to have a car accident with a heretofore-thought creature out of legend, and hijinks ensue!
Oh this is an absolute gem of a movie y’all, brought to you by the genius minds of film production company A24, a delightful blend of horror and campy, almost idiotic, comedy. Make sure your seatbelt is buckled and let’s dive into this!
So Ridley (Jenna Ortega) is you typical teenager, angsty and missing her passed-on mother, full of acne troubles and secretly vaping while her dad Elliot (Paul Rudd) ignores her for much more than appearance purposes, while he schmoozes his way into the good graces of the family they’re going to stay with. Elliot ignores everything but his continued greed, for both money and continuous stability for him and Ridley, really, he swears, so when the misty mountains cause their electronics to go haywire and Elliot’s busy with that crisis, he doesn’t notice until it’s too late and BAM. You’ve hit an actual unicorn with your car.
Like most girls, Ridley can’t help but be fascinated by the poor mythical horse-like creature, and of course she reaches out to grasp the glowing horn, filling her head full of magic and her eyes full of stars and the cosmos, while Elliot has a much more, let’s say visceral, reaction. But rather than calling, I dunno, some sort of wildlife preserve or the cops or even considering burying the unfortunate horned horse, no, the baby is loaded like a downed stag into the back of Elliott’s car and they hurry on to the CEO’s wilderness retreat.
It makes sense that the changes to Ridley’s appearance are the first thing that allows O’Dell (Richard E. Grant) and his greedy, grasping family to understand that the body of the unicorn has healing properties. Wife Belinda (Tea Leoni) is your typical utterly vapid socialite who helps the poor downtrodden of whatever’s currently popular third world country, not for the do-gooder part of it, but for the optics. And their son Shepard (Will Poulter) is a walking poster boy for the arrogant frat boy type who could never settle on just one thing to be or do, and so he tries them all – archery, photography, mixology, music and various forms of pharmaceuticals, all while sporting these terrible fashion choices in shorts and rambling proudly about his nonexistent accomplishments. Griff (Anthony Carrigan) is the family butler and general verbal punching bag, and let us not forget the unfortunate pair of doctoral research scientists who get called in to examine the unicorn, Dr. Song (Steve Park) and Dr. Bhatia (Sunita Mani).
So we have a family of covetous types who all want to divy the unicorn up and sell its various parts for as much wealth and power as they can get, plus the pair of scientists who are flabbergasted to find themselves dissecting an actual unicorn that, hey, guess what, isn’t actually dead for really-real yet. Elliott’s trying to procure his and Ridley’s slice of the action, though honestly, his lawyerly powers of persuasion seem to be rather lacking in this regard, while Ridley is off doing some actual research on medieval unicorns and what the ancient legends in tapestries had to say about them. You know how the modern genie, with his Arabian lamp and his three wishes with their horrifically ironic consequences, actually stems from the ancient legend of that old monster, the creature born from fire that wants nothing more than to destroy all human life on Earth, the Djinn? Our modern legends and beliefs about unicorns is kinda like that.
So everyone, even our scientists with their experiments and O’Dell supposedly being an experienced animal hunter, seems to have forgotten that a horse is a mammal and therefore, has parents. And while everyone is concerning themselves with what to use the babies’ various parts for, only Ridley seems to have realized, that the babies’ sire and dam are coming for it!
We all know horses are smart, and that humans and horses can form an almost mythical bond, but when a stallion or even a dam’s ire is raised, they can attack and defend just as well as any rampaging beast, and do present a very real and dire threat. And these particular horses, with their shaggy midnight-black coats and hooves the size of monster-truck hubcaps, their fangs and absolute righteous rage at their baby being stolen, not to mention both mom and dad’s inherently magical nature, and those utterly badass war-unicorn horns, are here to wreak utter destruction and death upon the humans that would dare to eat, drink and snort, their baby!
Full of utterly ridiculous fun with human greed and the scarcely-remembered wonder of those magical creatures you heard about as a child, cheer along with the Jurassic Park-like screech of our rampaging parents to save their baby, in Death of a Unicorn, in theaters now!
Upcoming NTR Junior projects
“Death of a Unicorn: A24’s Twisted Fairytale You Won’t Forget”
WonderCon 2025: A Faith Full Dickens Tale & The King of Kings Animated Movie
WonderCon 2025: Fade to Black Interviews
Top 10 Unexpected Movies Where The Bad Guy Wins
