Marvel is trying to gain the rights to Stan Lee's image from the company he sued.

Although Stan Lee has been dead since 2018, the new deal between Marvel Studios and POW! Entertainment could indicate that the legendary comic creator will appear in multiple Marvel-branded projects in the near future.

POW! Entertainment, the company co-founded by Stan Lee in 2001 and subsequently sued in 2018 for allegedly forging his signature on legal documents, has inked a licensing deal with Genius Brands and Marvel Studios, granting the Hollywood giant the rights to use Lee’s likeness in upcoming film projects. In a press release about the 20-year agreement, Genius Brands CEO and Chairman Andy Heyward expressed pride in the “extremely valuable rights to Stan Lee’s name, likeness, merchandise and intellectual property branding.”

“There’s no better place than Marvel and Disney for Stan to be for his films and theme park experiences,” Hayward said. “As we head into what would have been Stan’s 100th birthday on December 28, 2022, we’re excited that his memory and legacy will continue to delight fans through this new long-term agreement with Marvel.”

In the years and months leading up to Stan Lee's death in 2018, his life was marked by scandalous allegations of elder abuse and financial troubles that seemed to stem from him being surrounded by people looking to cash in on the X-Men co-founder's name. Lee filed a lawsuit against POW!, after co-founder Gill Champion and CEO Shane Duffy hammered out a deal in 2018 — using a supposedly stolen signature — to use his likeness, which the 95-year-old believed at the time was non-exclusive. POW! insisted that Lee's claims were "completely without merit," and the lawsuit was ultimately dropped months before Lee's death. Speaking about Lee in today's press release, Champion said he viewed the licensing agreement as a way to honor him.

“As Stan’s longtime business partner and friend, I look forward to honoring his work in this new way,” Champion said. “Connecting with his fans is important to us, and it’s an honor to do so on his behalf.”

Hollywood has been very keen on using digital facsimiles of deceased celebrities to keep their living fans engaged and consuming content for some time, but it's unclear whether Lee will continue to make cameos in Marvel movies. Hayward told The Hollywood Reporter that while he and others will always be focused on preserving the legacy, it's the intention behind it that will determine how the public receives future depictions of Lee.

"Audiences respect Stan, and if it's done with class and class and respects who he is, it's going to be well received," Hayward said. "He's a beloved character who will remain the essence of Marvel long after you and I are gone."