Writer and director Kevin Smith recently revealed the one condition that comic book legend Stan Lee had to appear in Mallrats. Panned by critics and a disappointment at the box office, the 1995 comedy movie was not an immediate success for Smith. But thanks to its self-aware geekiness, witty dialogue, and an appearance by the late Stan "The Man" Lee, Mallrats has gone on to cult classic status since its release nearly three decades ago.

In a video for GQ, in which he broke down his most iconic films, Smith shared an anecdote in which he discussed how Lee's cameo came about. The filmmaker stated that he had written the role as a Stan Lee-type comic book guru, but producer Jim Jacks, who knew Lee, suggested that Smith rewrite the script to include the Spider-Man co-creator. He obliged, and Jacks sent the script to Lee, which led to a call to Smith from Stan himself.