Under the terms of the agreement, Lee and his production company will develop and produce all forms of entertainment.
"As the father of such renowned comic book heroes as Spider-Man, The Hulk, X-Men among others, Stan is considered one of the most creative and inventive forces in the industry today. His innate talent of tapping into the human qualities of his super hero characters has certainly struck a chord with generations of audiences and readers around the world," stated Cook in making the announcement. "We are honored to be working with someone as formidable as Stan and his production company and welcome them to the Disney family."
"It's like the realization of a dream. Ever since I was a young boy, Disney represented the best and most exciting film fare to me. And now, many decades later, with movies such as their incredible Pirates of the Caribbean spectaculars, Disney is still at the forefront of family entertainment, excelling in live action, animation, TV, theme parks -- whatever it takes to bring fun and fantasy to audiences everywhere. I look forward with indescribable enthusiasm to being a part of that world and contributing whatever I can to keep the legend alive and growing," said Stan Lee, chairman of POW! Entertainment.
Oren Aviv, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Picture Production, added, "Stan Lee is a living legend in the world of pop culture and his characters and stories have been the inspiration for some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters. We're very excited to be working with him and his talented team in creating some incredible new motion picture experiences. Stan has so many fantastic new ideas for films, and we can't wait to get started."
Bob Chapek, president, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, was instrumental in bringing this deal to Disney and will work closely with Lee on many of his projects.
Chapek said, "Stan is not only loved by fans of the genre, but is one of the most respected and admired figures in the entertainment industry. In fact, it's hard to think of another individual who has created as many memorable and appealing characters. We're thrilled that Stan has decided to make Disney his new home, and feel very fortunate to be collaborating with him on a wide range of new projects for all divisions of our company. His track record is impressive by any measure, and Home Entertainment is sure to benefit from his creations."
Gill Champion, POW! Entertainment, COO says, "There can be no better opportunity to perpetuate the Stan Lee/Pow! brand for all media than to be associated with the Disney Studio. No one better understands the incalculable value and importance of Developing, Producing, Distributing and Marketing new global franchises. We are incredibly impressed with the professionalism and
valuable input from the executive and creative talent whom we now so eagerly join."
About The Walt Disney Studios
The Walt Disney Studios is a unit of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) and produces and distributes motion pictures under the following banners: Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Animation, Disney-Pixar Animation and DisneyToon Studios as well as Touchstone Pictures, Hollywood Pictures and Miramax Films. Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment distributes Disney and other film titles to the rental and sell-through home entertainment markets. Disney Theatrical Productions is one of the largest producers of Broadway musicals, and the Disney Music Group distributes original music and motion picture soundtracks under its four record labels: Walt Disney Records, Buena Vista Records, Hollywood Records and Lyric Street Records.
About Stan Lee and POW! Entertainment
Stan Lee is the creator and inventor of the modern superhero. A prolific author, Lee revolutionized the entertainment industry by creating compelling characters who, despite extraordinary powers and talents, are none the less plagued by the same doubts and difficulties experienced by ordinary people. Some of his most enduring characters, like Spider-Man*, The Incredible Hulk*, X-Men*, The Fantastic Four*, Iron Man*, Daredevil*, and Silver Surfer*, have transcended from the comic book genre and exploded onto the big screen breaking all time box office records.
POW! (Purveyors of Wonder) Entertainment, Inc. (Pink Sheets: POWN) is founded by world famous comic book and motion picture icon Stan Lee, together with award winning producer Gill Champion and acclaimed intellectual properties specialist Arthur Lieberman Esq. POW!'s principals, combined, have created, produced and licensed some of the most successful character franchises of all time which have gone on to generate billions of dollars of revenues. POW! specializes in franchises for the entertainment industry, including animation and live-action feature films, television, DVDs, video games, merchandising, and related ancillary markets, all of which aid in the establishment of new and exciting global franchises.
* These are Trademarks of Marvel Character Inc.
