ElevenLabs Licenses Stan Lee’s Voice and Likeness, Launching Monthly AI Book Club in June
Updated
Updated · Variety · May 27
ElevenLabs Licenses Stan Lee’s Voice and Likeness, Launching Monthly AI Book Club in June
7 articles · Updated · Variety · May 27
Stan Lee’s voice and likeness joined ElevenLabs’ Iconic Marketplace on Wednesday under a deal with Stan Lee Universe, letting companies license his persona for commercial AI use.
Users can also generate Lee-inspired comic-panel visuals for non-commercial use and have his cloned voice narrate books in the Eleven Reader app, starting with a monthly book club debuting in June.
The voice model was trained on professional recordings, and the partnership also adds two Lee-themed music filters to ElevenLabs’ AI creative tools.
The deal extends a broader push by celebrities and estates to monetize AI rights after death, following recent examples including Val Kilmer’s estate and Lee’s own 2022 licensing agreement with Marvel.
It lands during a rapid expansion for ElevenLabs, which raised $500 million earlier this year at an $11 billion valuation as it broadens beyond audio into music and likeness-based content.
With new AI laws now in effect, is Stan Lee's digital ghost a tribute or a ticking legal time bomb?
They resurrected Stan Lee's voice, but did they forget the one thing he can no longer give: his consent?
Stan Lee’s Voice Licensed for AI: ElevenLabs Deal Ushers in New Era of Digital Legacies, Ethics, and Industry Disruption
Overview
Marvel creator Stan Lee's voice and likeness are being revived through a groundbreaking AI partnership between ElevenLabs and Stan Lee Universe, announced on May 27, 2026. This collaboration enables Stan Lee's distinctive voice and image to be used in new digital platforms and projects, marking a new era where legendary figures can continue to inspire audiences through technology. The agreement reflects a broader trend of celebrities and their estates licensing voices and likenesses for AI content, showing how digital innovation is reshaping legacy preservation and audience engagement.