Documentary shows Marvel legend Stan Lee’s final years

SAN DIEGO (KYMA) - A new documentary is pulling back the curtain on Marvel legend Stan Lee's final years, raising troubling questions about how one of pop culture's biggest icons spent the end of his life.

"Stan Lee: The Final Chapter," directed by Jonathan Bolerjack, a close friend of Lee's, is built from hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes footage filmed during Lee's last years.

His aim was to show the man behind the legend.

"My goal with this film is to humanize Stan as a person first because it's not all movie premiers and hanging out with celebrities and parties," Bolerjack explained. "Underneath that is a surface level understanding of the icon is a human who lives in his house and watches TV, and goes to the mailbox, and that's what we all have in common."

Bolerjack says the film is uncomfortable and should make viewers angry as he hopes the film opens people's eyes.

The videos document alleged elder abuse and financial manipulation by two of Lee's associates.

"It's a hard watch, and it's hard to live it. I would say this. For people who get angry, you should. There's no reason not to. It is going to be a hard watch but it's an important truth. It's better to know the truth even if its hard," Bolerjack shared.

The film revisits long-standing allegations involving the mismanagement of Lee's finances and business affairs, as the artist is pushed into public appearances while his health was declining

Bolerjack hopes this film will spark a broader conversation about protecting older adults from financial exploitation and abuse.

He said, "Call your mom!"

"Take care of yourself and your family," he said. "If this could happen to Stan, it could happen to anyone."

Bolerjack says Lee's impact on the world cannot be overlooked adding, "He was a great man. He did a lot of great things and he was an extremely nice guy. He made you feel really special, even if you were just talking about breakfast."

At San Diego Comic Con, where the documentary made its debut, Lee's impact on pop culture is felt, from billboards to cosplayers.

"San Diego is just a monument to him. You can't walk 3 feet inside without seeing something that he had a hand in, and you can't walk 10 feet outside anywhere else. It's an incredible thing to be reminded of him," Bolerjack said.

To learn more about the documentary, which will be available on AppleTV, Prime and YouTube, click here.