A new preview for Marvel and Netflix's The Defenders brings Stan Lee to the forefront. While this year has proven to be a big year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe - following the release of both Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Spider-Man: Homecoming - this year's biggest Marvel events aren't just happening on the film side. Before the Avengers team up again in next year's Infinity War, there's another monumental Marvel team up set to happen in just a few short weeks, when The Defenders brings together Daredevil (Charlie Cox), Luke Cage (Mike Colter), Iron Fist (Finn Jones), and Jessica Jones (Krysten Ritter) to try and save the streets of New York from a complete, villainous takeover.

The Defenders is the culmination of two years' worth of rapid expansion by Marvel TV, through their creation and release of four different standalone TV series, beginning in 2015 with the first seasons of Daredevil and Jessica Jones. And for the most part, the collaborations between Marvel and Netflix have resulted in some of the most critically-acclaimed superhero adaptations that Marvel has ever released, a fact that has only helped steadily boost anticipation for The Defenders over the past two years.

Now, fans are less than a month away from finally getting to see The Defenders, and in anticipation of that release, Netflix Korea has unveiled a brand new teaser trailer for the event series online. However, unlike all of the previous trailers, this Defenders promo is narrated by none other than Stan Lee, as he's seen cruising through the streets of New York City, witnessing several of the most heroic moments from the previous seasons of Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and Iron Fist. You can check out the trailer for yourself in the space above, which ends with the surprise return appearance of another notable MCU vigilante.

Marvel's The Defenders team

While the discussion of a possible crossover between The Defenders and The Avengers has sometimes clouded the achievements of both franchises, Marvel has, in a way, managed to capture the best of both worlds with their TV expansions over the past few years. Not only has the studio been able to consistently put out lighthearted, popcorn entertainment on the big screen ever since the release of the first Iron Man in 2008, but their work with Netflix has also allowed them to delve into much darker superhero stories and tones than they ever could on the big screen.

With that being said, though, The Defenders promises to be the lightest, most summer blockbuster-like series that Marvel and Netflix have released up until this point, which gives the series a mood that should be able to complement the inherently large scope of its central premise well. Fans will likely get to see more from The Defenders throughout this week too, with the series set to have a considerable presence at this year's San Diego Comic-Con. But in case there weren't already enough reasons to look forward to The Defenders, it's hard to think of someone more worthy of building excitement for it than Stan Lee.

NEXT: The Defenders & The Punisher Comic-Con Posters

The Defenders becomes available for streaming on Netflix starting Friday, August 18.

Source: Netflix Korea