A documentary covering the final years of Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee has secured a distribution deal. Osmosis Global has acquired the rights to Stan Lee: The Final Years, a film directed and edited by Jon Bolerjack, who worked as Lee's personal assistant before the comic book creator's death in 2018 at age 95.
Bolerjack spent years filming hundreds of hours of footage with Lee. He estimates the total cost of producing the film at approximately $500,000, covering filming, legal fees, and post-production. When the project was first made public in March 2025, Bolerjack raised nearly $85,000 to help complete it.
The film's first public screening is set for June 27 at the Dances with Films festival in Los Angeles. Osmosis is still determining a broader release plan, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
The subject matter is not light. Lee endured what Bolerjack and others have described as elder abuse in his final years, with multiple parties competing for control of his care and estate. The Hollywood Reporter previously published an investigation into those allegations. Bolerjack says his footage documents that period directly, including scenes of Lee being taken to signings and appearances while exhausted and overworked.
Legal challenges delayed the film's completion. Bolerjack says one of the alleged perpetrators attempted to block the film's release, which drove up legal costs. Despite those obstacles, Bolerjack says Lee was aware of and supportive of being documented.
"Witnessing the treatment that Stan endured during those final years, especially at his age, really changes you," Bolerjack said. "The people around him believed they were untouchable, and I felt a responsibility to document what was happening. It took ten years to finish this film, but sharing the truth about those years is something I owed to Stan and to his fans."
Bolerjack has also said the film includes lighter moments with Lee alongside the more difficult material.
Osmosis president Eli Shibley said the company is focused on bringing powerful stories to large audiences. Convrsly Productions is behind the project, with George Chan and Bolerjack producing and Alex Barajas serving as executive producer.
The June 27 festival screening will mark the first time audiences have had a chance to see the completed film.
