James Cameron and Stan Lee, are two names heard often, but not together. Two names that hold power, but not together. Two names that hold the biggest franchises, but not together. What if there was a possibility that they were said together? What if there was a movie they worked on together? What if Cameron and Lee had plans for a movie that wasn’t about Spider-Man? What if the vision behind the Avatar franchise and the eyes behind the Iron Man had an idea about an X-Men movie?
James Cameron and Stan Lee are two of the biggest names in the Hollywood industry. Their contributions to the same may be separate, but they hold significance in the way many only aspire to achieve. When it was on Lee to get Cameron to accept an X-Men-based movie, it was a miracle how a 20-minute conversation about Spider-Man changed everything.
Stan Lee was Ready to Make an X-Men Movie
The 1990s saw a rise in popularity for the Mutants of Marvel, the X-Men. Due to the increasing fame, much like any other character or superhero, Marvel wanted recognition for the mutants as well. The idea was a great one, and Stan Lee was not alone in wanting to pitch it. Chris Claremont, the writer of the X-Men comics was actually side by side with Lee when they approached none other than James Cameron.
In the book, The Reign of Marvel, it is explained that both Claremont and Lee approached Lightstorm Studios, responsible for making Cameron’s blockbusters, for the potential X-Men movie. Getting the director to do a movie revolving around the Mutants would have been a big deal for the franchise. So it was rather sad to see it drown in just about 20 minutes.
All it Took was 20 Minutes
Stan Lee and Chris Claremont and gone to meet James Cameron and his Lightstorm team about the X-Men movie. It was something the writer was looking forward to dearly. However, it vanished before his own eyes, something Lee had a part to play in. As per the Reign of Marvel, Lee asked Cameron about his interest in Spider-Man.
“At one point Stan looks at Cameron and say, ‘I hear you like Spider-Man.’ Cameron’s eyes lit up. And they started talking. And talking. And talking. About twenty minutes later, all the Lightstorm guys and I are looking at each other and we all know the X-Men deal has just evaporated.”
Although he was meant to negotiate plans for an X-Men movie, Stan Lee ended up really turning the tides in a way that no one had expected. His conversation with Cameron ended up giving rise to his ideas for a potential Spider-Man movie.
