Stan Lee served as the public face of Marvel for many years, with even people who have no interest in comics being familiar with his work. And while the co-creator of Spider-Man, the X-Men, the Avengers, and countless other characters from Marvel's vast library was well-known for making cameos in big screen Marvel adaptations, it might also surprise you to learn that Lee briefly appeared in a Marvel/Star Wars crossover fan film.
The film in question is Spider-Man vs. Darth Maul from 2015, which forms part of the Super Power Beat Down series from the YouTube channel Bat in the Sun. The series focuses on crossovers between popular characters from different franchises, who try to defeat one another in combat until only one emerges victorious. Running for just under seven minutes (although the YouTube video runs for thirteen minutes, because it opens with footage of fans, including actor Doug Jones, discussing who they think will win), Spider-Man vs. Darth Maul was written and directed by Aaron Schoenke, who also played Spider-Man, with Dirk Ellis appearing as Maul. Tatiana Neva plays Mary Jane, and Sean Schoenke also briefly appears as a holographic projection of Darth Sidious, with the character being voiced by Jason Marnocha.
Most of the episodes of Super Power Beat Down have over one million views on YouTube, and the series has been praised for successfully bringing the fantasies of countless fans to life in ways that would not be able to happen officially (other episodes of the series include Batman vs. Darth Vader, Wolverine vs. Predator, and Superman vs. Thor). And each episode features decent visual effects, costumes, and action set-pieces, with the Hollywood-level production values helping to elevate Super Power Beat Down into a series which rises above the countless other fan productions of YouTube.
Spider-Man vs. Darth Maul is still a crossover we never knew we needed
As its name suggests, Spider-Man vs. Darth Maul features a crossover between the deadly Sith Lord and your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, with the two crossing paths in the top floor of an apartment building after Maul arrives in New York City to obtain a sample of the Venom Symbiote for sinister purposes.
An epic battle then ensues between the two mismatched opponents, with the filmmakers succeeding in making the fight as visually entertaining as possible. Since Maul and Spider-Man are both known for relying on speed and agility in combat, the fight was truly spectacular to behold, with the superpowered individuals fighting with such grace and elegance that you almost feel like you are watching Olympic-level gymnasts rather than a superhero sparring with a Sith Lord. And you can tell from the way he expertly dodges Maul’s blows that this incarnation of Spider-Man is a seasoned pro instead of a newbie who was just recently bitten by a radioactive spider, making the fight all the more enthralling as he proves to be a worthy foe for even a bloodthirsty user of the Dark Side of the Force. Fight Choreographer Alvin Hsing really deserves to be praised for making the battle between Maul and Spider-Man seem grand and cinematic despite the limited budget of the production.
Stan Lee appears as a resident of the apartment underneath the one where Spider-Man and Maul are having their battle, and he was humorously shown reading a copy of The Daily Bugle, the newspaper which Spider-Man works for as a photographer, before being distracted by the sound of the fight. Since he never appeared in an official Star Wars production, Star Wars fans will be thrilled to see the legendary Marvel master making an appearance in the short, and Lee’s cameo was suitably hilarious. Lee was clearly a talented actor in addition to being a legendary comic writer, and his deadpan delivery in Spider-Man vs. Darth Maul will no doubt make viewers laugh.
As is the case with many episodes of Super Power Beat Down, a different cut of Spider-Man vs. Darth Maul with an alternate ending was also released on YouTube, so fans can enjoy versions of the film in which both characters win. And keep in mind that, despite often focusing on PG-13-rated franchises, Super Power Beat Down normally features violence more in line with R-rated movies, which means that Darth Maul and Spider-Man meet gruesome ends in both versions.
You can find the alternate version of Spider-Man vs. Darth Maul embedded below (as well as the primary version above), and you will no doubt be highly entertained when you watch both versions.
Although Stan Lee is sadly no longer with us, his legacy remains through his countless comics and screen appearances, with Spider-Man vs. Darth Maul being a worthy project for the legendary creator to have appeared in. The two versions of the short have garnered a combined total of 28 million views on YouTube, and it certainly is not hard to see why.
This is a short film which fans of Marvel and Star Wars will always cherish, since it might be one of the best fan-made productions which the internet has to offer.