Netflix Honors Stan Lee with an “Excelsior!” Easter Egg

Netflix is paying homage to late Marvel legend Stan Lee in a very Netflix way. On Thursday, the NX Twitter account — the account devoted to all things fantasy, sci-fi, and beyond on Netflix — posted a Lee-themed easter egg for users looking to have a Marvel marathon. If you type in “Excelsior!,” Lee’s signature catchphrase, into the Netflix search bar, you’ll be presented with a curated list of the many Marvel shows and movies that make up “Stan Lee’s Universe.”

“Go to your Netflix. Give it a shot. In the words of Stan Lee, ‘Nuff said,'” the NX account shared with a video of the word “Excelsior!” appearing in the search bar. “Excelsior!” is how Lee signed off in many of his columns, film cameos, interviews, and tweets, so it makes sense that this key term would take viewers to Netflix’s collection of “Stan Lee’s Universe.”

When I typed in “Excelsior!” here’s what came up:

Interestingly, this isn’t every single Marvel title available on Netflix — it’s just a selection. Notably absent from “Stan Lee’s Universe” are Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Punisher, three shows that Lee himself didn’t create. Could Netflix be making a distinction between Lee’s OG creations and the non-Lee canon? According to our resident Marvel expert Brett White, that doesn’t seem likely: Jessica Jones, another non-Lee series, has prominent placement on the list, so it’s possible that the shows in Netflix’s “Stan Lee Universe” were arbitrarily selected. Luke Cage and Iron Fist were also recently canceled, so that could also explain why there were left off Netflix’s list. As for Punisher, who really knows? Maybe Lee just wasn’t a fan of the lethal vigilante.

If you’re looking to honor Lee’s memory with a Marvel marathon, typing in “Excelsior!” is a good place to start (and if you’re looking for just the cinematic hits, check out this list). Onwards and upwards, Marvel fans!

Stream "Stan Lee's Universe" on Netflix