Marvel Pays Tribute to Stan Lee with Fantastic Four Wrap Gifts

Marvel Studios is tipping its hat to the legendary Stan Lee in style! The studio just wrapped filming Fantastic Four: First Steps, and they made sure to honor Lee with some special swag for the cast and crew.

Ralph Ineson, who plays Galactus in the upcoming film, took to Twitter to show off his exclusive wrap gift: a shirt featuring a striking spaceship decal blasting off into the stars. Encircling the design were the names of the Fantastic Four team and, in a nod to Lee’s iconic legacy, the word “excelsior.”

“Marvel do the coolest wrap gifts,” Ineson captioned his post, sharing a bit of that Marvel magic with fans.

Fantastic Four: First Steps is set to premiere in July 2025 and will kick off Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 6. The film started production in July and marks the long-awaited introduction of Marvel’s First Family into the MCU. With Ineson’s Galactus and Julia Garner as the Silver Surfer leading the villain roster, fans are already buzzing about the film’s potential. The cast also boasts Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as the beloved Fantastic Four team.

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby co-created the Fantastic Four in 1961, and Lee’s influence has been a staple in the MCU since its inception. While Lee famously appeared as Willie Lumpkin in the 2005 Fantastic Four movie and as a wedding crasher in 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, he didn’t make an appearance in the 2015 reboot. Since his passing in 2018, Marvel has continued to pay tribute to the comic book icon with subtle nods, such as the “excelsior” license plate in WandaVision and the “StanLee Steemer” bus ad in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Marvel Studios is banking big on Fantastic Four: First Steps as the film aims to reignite excitement in the Multiverse Saga. The previous Fantastic Four adaptations were notorious flops, but hopes are high that this third attempt will deliver the adaptation fans have been waiting for. With an all-star cast and a unique 1960s setting, the film is poised to stand out from the rest of the MCU. Whether or not it sneaks in a Stan Lee Easter egg, a successful Fantastic Four movie would be a fitting tribute to the man who co-created them.