10 Amazing Hidden Easter Eggs In Superhero Movies
Introduction
Comic book fans are enjoying the Golden Age of superhero movies, as many of their favorite
characters are finally being adapted for the big screen.
Everything from Batman to The Inhumans is coming through the pipeline, meaning the filmmakers
are truly exploring their libraries of characters.
As directors work on their projects, they’re always looking for ways to honor the history
of the mythology, sneaking in references that die-hard fans will get.
Here are 10 Amazing Hidden Easter Eggs in Superhero Movies.
Spider-Man 2
Doctor Strange is making his way to theaters as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe,
but he’s been name-dropped in movies well before Disney got a hold of him.
When the Daily Bugle staff is trying to coin a name for new villain Dr. Octopus, someone
suggests Doctor Strange.
J. Jonah Jameson says it’s catchy… but it’s unfortunately taken and can’t be
used.
It’s an obvious reference to the Sorcerer Supreme and suggests that Stephen Strange
could have been around in Raimi’s universe.
It would have been fun to see the duo team up, and hopefully that can still happen in
the MCU.
The Dark Knight
Batman needs a new suit to increase his mobility, and Lucius Fox is happy to oblige.
When showing Bruce Wayne the new armor, Fox remarks that it’ll leave the Caped Crusader
more vulnerable to knives and gunfire.
Bruce is most concerned about how it’ll hold up against dogs after encountering some
early in the film, to which Fox replies it should do fine against cats.
The joke is a sly nod towards famed Batman character Selina Kyle/Catwoman, who would
be played by Anne Hathaway in the sequel, The Dark Knight Rises.
Nolan must have been thinking ahead to the third installment.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Quicksilver was the breakout star of this time traveling adventure and fans can’t
wait to learn more about him in X-Men: Apocalypse.
Fans could learn more about his parentage, which was hinted at in Days of Future Past.
While with Magneto, Quicksilver notes that his mother once knew a man who could control
metal, alluding to the characters’ comic book histories.
In the comics, Quicksilver is actually the son of Magneto, so it’ll be interesting
to see if that angle is explored in a future film.
It seems like too large an element to ignore, so hopefully Bryan Singer found room for it
in Apocalypse.
Iron Man 2
At the end of his second solo movie, Tony Stark learns from Nick Fury he’s not fit
for the Avengers Initiative.
But it’s what’s going on in the background that’s more interesting.
There’s a map visible with certain spots highlighted, including one in Africa.
That could very well be a reference to the fictional nation of Wakanda, home of Black
Panther.
Marvel is known for planning far in advance, so it wouldn’t be surprising if they were
planting the seeds six years before the character first appeared in a film.
There’s also a dot in the Atlantic Ocean, which could be for Namor, but he’s not showing
up anytime soon.
Iron Man
Well before Iron Man was an international movie star, he had his own cartoon show.
When he brought Tony Stark to the big screen, Jon Favreau found a way to tip his hat to
the animated version.
While Rhodey has pilots tracking down Stark in the Iron Man suit, he gets a phone call
from Tony.
Rhodey’s ring tone is a midi version of the 1966 cartoon’s theme song, a fun little
nod for fans that remember the series.
It may not be the most obvious reference, but for those who watched the show or are
longtime fans of the character, it was a nice way to bridge the adaptations.
Green Lantern
2011’s Green Lantern wasn’t the hit WB wanted, but they did have confidence in the
project before it bombed.
Throughout the film, they planted hints for possible sequels, including a marking on Carol
Farris’ helmet.
That’s no ordinary star; it’s the symbol of Star Sapphire, the villain Carol eventually
turns into in the comics.
We’ll never know for sure if this is an angle that would have been developed in the
series, but it’s a hint the filmmakers were thinking about it.
With the Lantern Corp. set to return in the DC Extended Universe, perhaps they can follow
through on this tease.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
For all their faults, the relationship between Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy was a strongpoint
of the Amazing Spider-Man series.
That’s what made Gwen’s death in the second film so heartbreaking.
Though it was implied Gwen would perish long before the movie came out, Spidey fans knew
what was going on the minute the clock tower showed up in the third act.
The time shown, 1:21, is a nod to the comic, The Amazing Spider-Man #121, the issue in
which Gwen died at the hands of the Green Goblin.
As shocking as the scene was, attentive viewers still had plenty of time to prepare themselves.
Fantastic Four
Marvel’s First Family has always had bad luck on the big screen, but there’s no denying
it’s fun to watch Stan Lee cameo in the films.
For the first Fantastic Four film in 2005, Lee portrayed postman Willie Lumpkin.
This wasn’t something just created for the movie; Lumpkin is a comic book character who
would frequently deliver mail to the Fantastic Four at the Baxter Building.
It’s a cute moment for those familiar with the comic, and a perfect character for Lee.
They do share a striking resemblance.
Too bad the rest of the film couldn’t be this entertaining.
Superman: The Movie
When a young Clark Kent is testing out his powers, he runs by a train that just happens
to have a young Lois Lane on board.
Lois is with her parents, who are no ordinary Hollywood extras.
They’re played by Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill - who portrayed Superman and Lois in the original
movie serials from the 1940s.
The Last Son of Krypton has been a pop culture icon for decades well before Richard Donner
proved a man could fly, so it was nice to see the director pay respect to that storied
history.
In 2006, Neill was brought back once more to play the elderly wife of Lex Luthor in
Superman Returns.
Captain America: The First Avenger
As an All-American Brooklyn kid living through World War II, Steve Rogers is probably the
only movie hero that hates Nazis more than Indiana Jones.
Marvel has been selling that idea from the very beginning, having Cap punch Adolf Hitler
in the face on the cover of the comic’s very first issue.
Years later when the Star Spangled Man was brought to the big screen, the famous image
was recreated during the propaganda montage as Steve tours the country in his costume.
Even to those who never read the source material, the connection was easy to make.
Those are our picks for great Easter eggs in superhero films.
Are there any we missed?
Which ones are your favorites?
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