It's an art form in and of itself, demanding countless hours of dedication from people all over the world who simply want to honor the characters they love so much. Perhaps this is why a new documentary called Cosplay Universe made sure to book time with someone responsible for a whole lot of cosplay material, Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee.
As one of the all-time comic book greats, and without a doubt the most famous one, Lee's creations are often some of the most popular and sought-after characters cosplayers seek to recreate in real life, as even the man himself was initially surprised to see what he calls “the dress-up business," let alone what it is has become as a part of the massive convention events. These types of anecdotes, as well as the lives and motivations of many cosplayers, are just some topics seen in Cosplay Universe.
Cosplay Universe also features interviews with some of the most prominent cosplayers in the world, such as Yaya Han and Jessica Nigri. However, it also focuses on many more people passionate about something that to them is clearly much more than a hobby. The film focuses on several cosplay teams as they make their way to the World Cosplay Summit taking place in Nagoya Japan, or what the cosplay community dubs “the Olympics of Cosplay,” with many of them telling stories about what it means to truly become one of their beloved fictional characters.
The documentary is the directorial debut of Jonathan McHugh and Jordan Rennert. It will be distributed by Abramorama in select theaters and VOD starting this July, despite the film actually making its debut 4 years ago at the 2018 Culver City Film Festival or in countries like the Bahamas. As the documentary’s synopsis details, it’s mostly a film that looks to tell the story of how people transform the hobby into a business while expressing themselves within this community, and definitely not something like My Dress-Up Darling's take on cosplay.
That should be enough for anyone to piece out why Lee is showing up in a documentary premiering in 2022, since the legend’s footage for Cosplay Universe was recorded way before his death in November 2018, though it’s certainly a welcome surprise for many fans. Regardless of that, a recent Marvel deal involving Lee might suggest there are plans to use his likeness for some unknown projects, however, the terms of said agreement involve anything ranging from movies, television shows, or theme parks.
Whether it's cosplay anime, comic book tributes, or video game-inspired ones, it's clear the art of cosplay is here to stay, and even Marvel legend Lee vouched for it before his passing.
Cosplay Universe will be released in the summer of 2022.
Source: Abramorama | YouTube