100+ Best Marvel Movie Easter Eggs

One of the most enjoyable things about being a Marvel movie geek is paying close attention to detail and finding ways the movies connect. Besides the obvious recurring characters between the movie series, there are some hidden gems that show up, connecting the films back to the comics and even to other movies outside the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

After rummaging through some awesome facts and trivia surrounding this intricate superhero world, we later managed to hunt down more than a hundred of the best Marvel Easter Eggs all the way back from 2008’s Iron Man to 2023’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3…

Jump to:

• Iron Man (2008)
• The Incredible Hulk (2008)
• Iron Man 2 (2010)
• Thor (2011)
• Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)
• The Avengers (2012)
• Iron Man 3 (2013)
• Thor: The Dark World (2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
• Ant-Man (2015)
• Captain America: Civil War (2016)
• Doctor Strange (2016)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
• Black Panther (2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
• Captain Marvel (2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
• Black Widow (2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
• Eternals (2021)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
• Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)
• Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 (2023)

Iron Man (2008)

1. 1966 Theme Song

The jingle for Iron Man’s 1966 cartoon show crops up a couple of times during the first Iron Man movie. Most notably in the background at the casino and as Rhodey’s ringtone. You could say James Rhodes is a fan of the classics…

2. Fin Fang Foom

Comic book fans would have to be eagle eyed and prepared to freeze their screens in order to spot this hidden Easter Egg. As Iron Man speeds down a busy road, in the background is a billboard poster of Fin Fang Foom, one of the hero’s enemies from the comics, taking form of a metallic dragon.

3. Christine Everhart

There’s been a Spider-Man connection ever since the MCU began! The Vanity Fair reporter, also known as Christine Everhart in Iron Man, is actually based on the Daily Bugle reporter from the Spider-Man universe. You can’t miss that part of New York lore!

4. Roxxon Oil Corporation

This nefarious company, responsible for the death of Howard Stark in the comics, pops up again and again in the MCU. In Iron Man, the Roxxon Corporation building can briefly be seen in the background of Tony’s fight with Obadiah Stane. Roxxon also appears in Iron Man 2 as a sponsor for one of the race teams at the Monaco Grand Prix that Tony Stark joins.

5. Obadiah and the Chessmen 

Die-hard fans can’t overlook this one! Obadiah’s chessboard is strategically placed in view in the apartment scene, and the jealousy-riddled bad guy also wears a checkered robe. This is a nice nod to his team of villains called ‘The Chessmen’ in the comics. 

The Incredible Hulk (2008)

6. Super Soldier Serum

A particular ‘Cryosync’ label on a canister of serum appears in The Incredible Hulk, just before General Ross gives it to pump up Blonsky. It’s labelled ‘Stark Industries’, likely from a time before Tony swore off weapons. The most interesting detail is the name of its developer, ‘Doctor Reinstein’, who originally administered a similar serum to Captain America.

7. The Leader

Samuel Sterns (a.k.a. Mr. Blue) should ring a few bells for Hulk fans. Especially when some of Banner’s blood starts dripping onto his forehead. Watch closely at this scene and you can see his forehead swelling up, much to his excitement. Was this a teaser for The Leader, one of the Hulk’s most notorious enemies, who famously has an enlarged forehead?

8. Purple Pants

If you’re a fan of The Incredible Hulk comic books, we guess you also yearned to see the beloved green giant in his iconic purple pants. We were treated to a teeny tiny teaser when Bruce Banner held the legendary purple pants when trying on new clothes in a brief scene.

9. Lou Ferrigno

For most fans, Lou Ferrigno immediately comes to mind when it comes to The Incredible Hulk. He is the original actor, after all. Unless you weren’t paying attention, the iconic star had a cameo or two in both 2008’s The Incredible Hulk and The Avengers. In the former, he starred as a security guard and he also lent his voice as the Hulk in The Avengers, too!

10. Culver University

Remember the military confronting Hulk at Culver University? Well, this building is inspired by the Culver Institute facility where Bruce worked before becoming the Hulk in the 1978 TV series. The university appears again in Iron Man 2 during Nick Fury and Tony’s conversation. If you look close enough, one of the screens reads ‘Incident at Culver University’ during live news coverage.  

Iron Man 2 (2010)

11. Captain America’s Shield

Needing something to level out his homemade LHC-style particle accelerator, Tony asks Phil to slide a very familiar-looking blue-and-silver shield under one of the machine’s sections. This was initially an Easter Egg teasing The First Avenger, but also gives clues to Tony’s feelings for the good captain. As revealed in our Iron Man facts list, Cap was the one to teach him to fight, after all.

12. Map of Superheroes

As Nick Fury tells Tony Stark that he’s not a good fit for the Avengers Initiative (yeah, right), there is a map projected behind them that seems to indicate the position of various heroes. One blip is in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, suggesting Namor at home in Atlantis, and another blip is in Africa. Turns out Tony is very interested in Wakanda.

13. Captain America Comic

This was yet another blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment in the MCU that got fans hyped. When Tony Stark rummages through his father’s belongings, underneath a newspaper is a Captain America comic book. Awesome, right?

14. Illuminati 

When Tony glances at his phone screen, the app ‘Illuminati’ is briefly seen. Marvel’s Illuminati was a group of Earth’s superhuman members. Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Professor X, Mister Fantastic, Black Bolt, and Namor the Sub-Mariner formed the secret group and would gather to share information. 

15. Thor’s Hammer Reveal  

Apparently, other things are happening in the world besides Iron Man’s issues. Nick Fury states he’s got more significant problems to deal with in the Southwest region. Coulson’s also in a hurry to get to New Mexico. Plus, there’s a marker on the Map of Superheroes in the Southwest region. It all leads to the post-credits reveal of Thor’s hammer. 

Thor (2011)

16. Asgardian Weapons Vault

When the frost giants first attempt to steal the Casket of Ancient Winters in Thor, we glimpse a few artifacts from the Marvel Universe. The most notable prize is the Infinity Gauntlet, sought out by Thanos during the Infinity War movies. Hela comes back to this one in Ragnarok to loudly proclaim it as fake, though.

17. Dr. Donald Blake

Jane Foster’s ex-boyfriend was a good match for concealing Thor’s identity in the 2011 movie. Although not a scientist like Selvig, ‘Dr. Donald Blake’ is the identity Thor takes on when he is bereft of his powers. In the comics, Donald Blake is also, in fact, the name of the human alias Thor uses who has a bum leg and a cane (in the form of Mjolnir in disguise). What’s interesting is, Foster fell in love with the surgeon whilst being linked with Thor at the same time and funnily enough, she didn’t realize they were the same person.

18. Tonberg, Norway 

After the opening scene, the flashback begins in 965 A.D. Tonsberg, Norway, with the Frost Giants holding the Tesseract. This is the same location the Red Skull found the Tesseract in 1942 in The First Avenger and it’s also where Thor plays Fortnite while pounding brews and noobs in 2025 in Endgame. 

19. Thor Loses His Armor 

Remember when Big Daddy Odin stripped Thor’s armor? This action was inspired by a scene in one of director Kenneth Branagh’s favorite films, The Life of Emile Zola. The film depicts the real-life account of the French author charged with libel for writing a newspaper article on a Jewish officer falsely imprisoned. 

20. Writing on Thor’s Hammer 

During a close-up of Thor’s hammer, writing can be seen. The writing is an ancient rune alphabet called Elder Futhark which translates to the phrase, “He who wields this hammer commands the lightning and the storm.” This could explain how Captain America was able to summon lightning and wield the hammer during Endgame. Ha! Take that, Thanos! 

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

21. Coulson’s Car

In Captain America: The First Avenger, Steve and Bucky visit a World’s Fair-type expo sponsored by Howard Stark. Stark himself is showing off his prototype for a flying car that is very reminiscent of Coulson’s car, Lola, from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

22. Human Torch Suit 

Also in the Stark Expo in 1943 is a mannequin in a clear, protective tube wearing a red suit. The suit belongs to the Human Torch, a character also portrayed by Chris Evans in 2005’s Fantastic Four. Now, that’s hot. 

23. Cap Punches Hitler

In the Captain America stage show, Steve’s routine is to punch Adolf Hitler in the face. A lot. This is an allusion to the comic Captain America #1, where Cap bursts out of his 1942 debut comic, you guessed it, delivering a fierce right hook right into the Fuhrer’s face!

24. The Blueprint 

When Johan Smith blows up his compound, Arnim Zola quickly packs to escape. He grabs his blueprints before leaving and one of them notably resembles a suit. The suit looks like Arnim’s robotic suit, which eventually stored his consciousness in the comics. 

25. Cap is Patriotic 

A glimpse at Steve’s enlistment form reveals his birthday is July 4, 1918. So, he shares a birthday with America. This may have foreshadowed his transformation to Captain America, but that’s not all. You may remember the elevator scene between Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson in The Nanny Diaries. Chris calls an American flag Betsey Ross dress-wearing Johansson “very patriotic.” Thus, foreshadowing the actor’s future as Cap. 

The Avengers (2012)

26. Earth’s Mightiest Heroes

During a conversation with Loki towards the end of the movie, Tony Stark refers to The Avengers as “Earth’s mightiest heroes, that kind of thing”. This title directly quotes the description written on every Avengers comic book since 1963.

27. Project Pegasus & Project 42

These top secret S.H.I.E.L.D. projects are only seen in screen-grabs of files, department labels or heard in the briefest of mentions. P.E.G.A.S.U.S. was S.H.I.E.L.D.’s project to unlock the energy of the Tesseract, as seen at the beginning of The Avengers. It is also the future site of Project 42, a code-name for a super-prison built in the Negative Zone by Tony Stark, which coincidentally required portals to reach.

28. The Shawarma Joint

One of the many Avengers Easter Eggs can be seen during the final fight scene. The idea to grab some Shawarma after the climactic final battle didn’t come to Tony Stark out of nowhere (“There’s a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don’t know what it is, but I wanna try it”). We actually glimpse the Shawarma Palace behind him during the big fight, inspiring the later down-to-earth post credits scene.

29. Life Model Decoys

While talking with Pepper, Tony receives a call from Coulson. Tony responds by saying, “You’ve reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark. Please leave a message.” Wondering what he means? ‘Life model decoys’ are actually android doubles from the comics and also feature in the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

30. Mephisto  

Nick Fury hands Cap an old file which mention Mephisto and Infinity Gems. We all know about the gems, but Mephisto is actually a devil character in the Infinity Gauntlet comics. He’s also Thanos’ companion in the comics, as he travels to collect the gems. 

Iron Man 3 (2013)

31. Demon in a Bottle

Tony’s narration, that a famous man once said, “we all create our own demons”, is not just clever foreshadowing for the movie. It’s a reference to the 1979 comic arc, Demon in a Bottle, a story that made Tony’s problematic relationship with alcohol iconic.

32. Homecoming T-Shirt

Tony’s nightmare causes his suit to approach and scare the hell out of a sleeping Pepper. As she walks around the bedroom, her t-shirt is visible. It reads, “I lost an electron. Are you positive?” If you recall, it’s the same t-shirt Peter Parker wears to visit Tony in Spider-Man: Homecoming. 

33. Harley Keener  

You may recall Tony breaking into the garage of child prodigy Harley Keener. Well, this kid has been referenced in the MCU as a potential Iron Lad in upcoming movies. In the comics, Iron Lad, a.k.a. Nathaniel Richards, is also Kid Immortus, The Scarlet Centurion, and Kang the Conqueror. Let’s hope we see more of him in future films. Well, we did spot him in Endgame, but more on that later. 

34. Iron Patriot 

Rhodey takes on the role of ‘Iron Patriot’ in a redesigned suit by A.I.M. Norman Osborn, a.k.a. The Green Goblin, who in fact, originally wore the suit in the comics. But he was dismissed during the siege at the new Asgard built in Oklahoma. 

35. Tony’s Stocking 

Look closely at the Christmas stocking Tony hangs for Jarvis near the fireplace. The stocking is red, green, and yellow, which probably symbolizes Vision’s future form from the comic books. Smart move, Marvel! 

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

36. Selvig’s Chalkboard

Remember when Erik Selvig gave a presentation to his fellow mental patients in Thor 2? The scene was played for laughs, but the chalkboard was full of goodies for Marvel comic fans. Mentions of the Nexus of All Reality being in a Florida swamp suggests ties to the Man-Thing. Other exciting mentions include The Crossroads, an inter-dimensional space explored by Doctor Strange, and The Fault, a rip in space discovered by the Guardians of the Galaxy.

37. Star Wars Tribute

Marvel movies are filled with nods to the original Star Wars trilogy by having a character have their arm cut off, just like Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back. An example of this is seen in Thor 2 when Loki chops Thor’s hand off in an illusion.

38. The Decapitation of Bor 

On the way out of Asgard, Thor cuts off the head of his grandfather, Bor’s statue. This scene is a nod to the comics where Thor kills his grandfather. Sheesh, surviving this family sounds tough. 

39. Odin’s History 

We visit 2988 B.C. as the movie opens, where it reviews a glimpse of Odin’s history. The same date happens to appear on the time vortex monitor in Endgame, a destination year. So, the Avengers may have considered returning to 2988 B.C. to intercept the Reality Stone from its origin point. 

40. Asgardians Live HOW Long! 

In one particular scene, Loki reveals Asgardians live 5,000 years. This is also the time between convergences that happen when all nine realms align. The last convergence began in 2988 B.C. and lasted until the present day. It foreshadowed Ragnarok and the deaths of Odin and Loki. 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

41. Path of the Righteous Man

Here’s a hidden Easter Egg that doesn’t exactly reference the MCU, but it’s still super-cool, nonetheless. Look carefully at Nick Fury’s gravestone in The Winter Soldier, and you’d have noticed the Bible passage written on it. “The Path of the Righteous Man” is a line famously quoted by Samuel L. Jackson’s character in Pulp Fiction. Awesome!

42. Lemuria 

In The Winter Soldier, Captain America is on a rescue to the Lemurian star with Avengers. Everyone seems to struggle with pronouncing “Lemurian”, which references ‘Lemuria’, the rival country to Atlantis in the comics. Maybe D.C.’s Aquaman has been to Lemuria? 

43. Nurse Sharon 

When Steve meets the nurse, Sharon, who lives next door, it foreshadows the reveal of her true identity in Civil War. She’s really Sharon Carter and niece of Peggy Carter, Cap’s true love.

44. All the President’s Men 

The book All the President’s Men by Woodward and Bernstein of Watergate fame appears on Steve’s bookshelf. Later in a scene showing Cap looking outside, the Watergate building can be spotted in the frame. Coincidentally, Robert Redford, who plays Secretary Alexander Pierce in Winter Soldier played Woodward in the film adaptation of the book.

45. An Inside Job

Steve returns home to find Nick Fury sitting on the couch who reveals his wife kicked him out. Soon, Nick is shot, and Sharon, the nurse, calls in the attack. The S.H.I.E.L.D. dispatcher clearly knows Nick was shot without Sharon even mentioning it, which could be a clue that S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra knew the attack was an inside job. 

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

46. The Celestials

In GotG, we get a good glimpse of one of the giant godlike aliens of comic Marvel mythology when one of them uses the Power Stone to eradicate a planet. This particular Celestial, judging by his six-eyed helmet, was Eson the Searcher, who’s intriguingly been to Earth a few times.

47. The Collector’s Collection

We get a good view of the Collector’s holdings in Guardians of the Galaxy. We get a dark elf, a chitauri and our first glimpse of Cosmo the Space Dog, a telepath and sheriff of Knowhere in-comics. There’s also a big yellow cocoon that was thought to be Adam Warlock, but confirmed by James Gunn to be an ancient version of the cocoons the Sovereign used. Crossing universes a little, we also see some slugs from the movie Slither (directed by James Gunn) and finally, Howard the Duck.

48. Excelsior

Not only was one of Stan Lee’s best cameos, it also gave us another sneaky little Easter Egg that only true Marvel fans would have noticed. When Rocket zooms into Lee’s face during a particular scene in Guardians of the Galaxy, a bunch of incomprehensible text is seen layering the screen. If you have spare time on your hands like this particular fan, you’d have realized that the text translates and spells out “Excelsior” – Stan Lee’s infamous catchphrase.

49. Talks of Dad 

On Meredith’s deathbed, she says Peter is just like his daddy because of the resemblance, and he was an angel composed out of pure light. The conversation hints at Peter meeting his father and learning he gave Meredith her brain tumor in GOTG Vol.2. 

50. Frankenstein Reference

Remember when Groot sprouts a flower and hands it to a young girl? This is a nod to a similar scene in the classic film Frankenstein. Thankfully, Groot doesn’t toss this girl into a lake as the slow-moving monster does. 

Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

51. Crawford

Keep your eyes peeled during the Hulk and Hulkbuster fight in Age of Ultron. As they rush through the city, you can spot a truck with ‘Crawford’ labelled on the side. This is a possible allusion to Banner’s mentor, Dr. Geoffrey Crawford, who turned himself into the gamma monster, Ravage, and once fought the other two. Imagine if he suddenly crashed the party.

52. Veronica 

The film starts off with the Avengers going to get the scepter. Cap asks Jarvis “What’s the view from upstairs?” As Jarvis responds, Tony Stark’s satellite system is visible. During a close-up we see the name ‘Veronica’. This particular name is later deployed to help bring Hulk under control.  

53. Iron Man Works Cautiously 

Right before Iron Man, wearing the Hulkbuster armor, starts pushing Hulk into the under-construction building, Iron Man fires four rockets to destroy the building. But he aims the rockets on an angle so that the building falls on itself instead of sideways, avoiding the possible loss of lives. 

54. If I Only Had a Heart 

A Marvel Easter Egg at its finest. During the final battle in Age of Ultron, Wanda rips out Ultron’s heart; since you know, he killed her brother Pietro. You may have realized that Ultron’s torn chest has the same pattern as Cap’s broken shield from Tony’s vision. 

55. Tribute to Pietro 

When Laura Barton sends a video message to Natasha, the baby’s onesie shows his middle name is ‘Pietro’. This is obviously a sweet tribute to Quicksilver for saving Hawkeye’s life.  

Ant-Man (2015)

56. Dropping Cities from the Sky

Hank Pym is no fan of the Avengers, what with his history with the Starks and all. When things with Cross escalate, he brushes off Scott Lang’s suggestion of calling them in, saying they are probably “too busy dropping cities from the sky”. Not sure if you noticed, but this is a chiding callback to the Sokovia incident in Age of Ultron.

57. Tales to Astonish

When rumors spread of Pym’s shrinking technology and its resurfacing, Darren Cross brushes them off, calling these moments “propaganda, tales to astonish.” This happens to be the very name of the comic series where Hank as the Ant-Man first appeared. You gotta love a bit of wordplay!

58. The Wasp

The Quantum Realm that Scott Lang shrinks into is not just an infinite realm smaller than atoms. It is an alternate dimension reached by shrinking, where molecules stand in for planets and there is some kind of life there. Maybe Janet Van Dyne is alive somewhere?

Eagle-eyed fans spotted this super-cool Easter Egg which showed the silhouette of someone who looks very much like a wasp. Turns out, these fans weren’t paranoid at all because Marvel Studios President, Kevin Feige revealed the theory to be true. “In the first film it was, we got a glimpse of it for people who like to go through frame-by-frame, there was a little silhouette of Janet as the Wasp in there.”

59. Pingo Doce 

Scott gets fired from Baskin Robbins and afterward, he walks past a poster of the Brazilian soda, Pingo Doce. Turns out, Bruce Banner worked at the Pingo Doce bottling plant in The Incredible Hulk. Subtle, yet cool referencing! 

60. The First Live-Action Ant-Man 

In Ant-Man, actor Garrett Morris makes a glimpse-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo as a driver of the taxi Scott Lang falls on. But did you know Garrett was the first actor to play Ant-Man in live-action during a classic Saturday Night Live skit in 1979? In the skit, Margot Kidder, as Lois Lane, throws a superhero party with her husband, Superman, played by Bill Murray. If only we could get a Marvel/D.C. crossover film like that, right? 

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

61. Miriam Sharpe

Civil War doesn’t follow the comic arc exactly, but the catalyst is roughly the same. Heroes blow up a building and a distraught woman who lost her son confronts Tony Stark. She never gives a name in the movie, but the credits name her ‘Miriam’, sharing the identity of the mourning mother (Miriam Sharpe) who blasted Tony after her son was killed during the Battle of Sokovia. If your Sharpe eye noticed this one, consider yourself a true Marvel fanatic! 

62. Redwing

In the comics, Falcon has a telepathic link to a falcon sidekick, but how does the MCU solve this conundrum? You might have noticed Sam Wilson’s winged remote drone for his suit that he called ‘Redwing’. This was a clear reference to his comic-book sidekick.

63. I Can Do This All Day

Steve Rogers is quite the repeater of words, isn’t he? You may recall that scene in The First Avenger where Steve gets beaten in an alley way. One of his lines was “I can do this all day”. Well, Cap says that very same line in Civil War, when he’s battling Iron Man. Eagle-eyed (or eared) listeners may already have spotted this super-cool MCU Easter egg. 

64. The Futurist

Here’s yet another nod to something outside the MCU. In Civil War, when the Avengers are imprisoned on The Raft, Clint Barton teases Tony Stark by calling him ‘the futurist’. This is obviously referring to his future-vision abilities, but could it also be alluding to Robert Downey Junior’s debut music album, ironically titled, ‘The Futurist’.

65. Arrested Development Nod

One not so obvious Easter Egg in the movie is this vehicle, which may be more familiar to Arrested Development fans. Directors of Civil War, The Russo Brothers got their big break into television with their work on this particular series. The Bluth family’s vehicle can be spotted in the background when Ant-Man shows up with a miniature truck for ammunition.

Doctor Strange (2016)

66. Shamballa

The Wi-Fi password for Kamar-Taj (Shamballa) is quite funny if you know your Tibetan mythology. According to Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shamballa is a mythical paradise kingdom hidden in the mountains that may have inspired the more commonly known Shangri-La. It also happens to be a callback to the Doctor Strange novel, Into Shamballa.

67. Doors of Perception

During the fight Mordo and Strange have with Kaicillius, the two collide with the side of a bus. Stan Lee can be seen reading Doors of Perception, an account by novelist Aldous Huxley of his experiences with Mescaline. The LSD-like qualities of it could be an inside joke on the psychedelic imagery that made Strange’s comics so popular in his debut.

68. Mindless Ones

As a cost for gaining immortality, Kaecillius and his zealots are drawn into the Dark Dimension, where they transform into black-skinned cyclops-like creatures. Strange should watch out, as in the comics, these beings are known as The Mindless Ones – silent and evil beings that are resistant to pain and fire lasers from their eyes.

69. Injured Soldier Connection 

As Doctor Strange speeds along in his lavish Lamborghini, he receives a call. It’s Billy, his assistant, naming prospective patients. The first person mentioned is an Air Force Colonel with a crushed lower spine. This unnamed Colonel might just be Iron Man’s test pilot with severe spinal injury. All we know is the pilot survived. Could this be yet another MCU connection?

70. Quantum Particles and The X-Men 

The Ancient One tells Doctor Strange that the Quantum Realm is a benevolent and life-giving place. Janet Van Dyne of Ant-Man and the Wasp says, “This place changes you…some of it is evolution.” She’s developed healing powers after her visit. Is it possible the quantum particles of this realm are responsible for the gene mutation of the X-Men? 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

71. Adam Warlock

During one of the most intriguing Marvel post-credits scenes at the very end of Guardians 2, a defeated Ayesha looks upon a golden cocoon she calls ‘Adam’. We had a similar-looking cocoon in the last Guardians movie, but this one is certainly the real deal. This was our first hint at meeting one of Marvel’s most infamous characters. He eventually made his debut in GotG Vol.3, but in this particular scene, Adam Warlock is yet to be born out of his cocoon.

72. David Hasselhoff

All throughout GotG Vol. 2, Quill mentions how he used to tell everyone that David Hasselhoff, the Knight Rider was his father. Well, not only does he make an appearance at the end of the film, he also sings as lead vocalist in the end-credits song, Guardians Unite. Peter would be impressed.

73. The Watchers

Dedicated fans have already heard of The Watchers, Marvel’s big-headed all-powerful aliens and silent beings who merely observe the events in the Universe, but never interfere. GotG Vol.2 gave nod to these cosmic Marvel mythos characters in scenes with Stan Lee – one where Rocket and Yondu are jumping across space and another in the post-credit scenes.

74. Pop Culture References

Guardians of the Galaxy loves its pop culture references! Believe it or not, singer Miley Cyrus had an obscure cameo in the movie. Remember when Stakar reunites with his Ravagers gang in one of the post-credit scenes? That robotic head (Mainframe) who says, “I’ve missed you guys so much” is voiced by Miley.

The iconic 80’s character, Pac-Man also made a small cameo during Star-Lord’s battle with Ego. When given god-like powers, Star-Lord triumphantly transforms into the beloved video-game character. At least we know what Peter Quill’s favorite arcade game is!

Lastly, Yondu delivers one of the funniest lines in the movie as he descends through a planet using his red arrow – “I’m Mary Poppins y’all” – he shouts. Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, so it’s only fair that GotG Vol.2 gave it a shout-out.

75. Stakar AKA Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone’s character has a rich history within the Marvel Universe. In Vol.2, he’s simply depicted as Stakar – the leader of the Ravagers (the first iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy team, from the comic series in 1969). While it was exciting for some to see Mr. Stallone star in the movie, it was even more thrilling for die-hard Marvel fans who already knew his comic-book origins.

Stakar, also known as Starhawk is a previous member of the original Guardians of the Galaxy (from the “Guardians 3000” run). He isn’t just a smuggler or a thief as Vol.2 narrates; in the comics, Stakar has the ability to generate blasts of energy, heat and light beams as well as fly.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

76. Scorpion

One of the thugs and weapon buyers in Spider-Man: Homecoming could very well be Mac Gargan, a.k.a. the Scorpion, one of Spidey’s most notorious enemies. Fans noticed the Scorpion tattoo on his head, leading many to believe the powerful villain will have a major role in Marvel movies to come. At this stage, it’s hard to tell if this Gargan was always crazy, or if he’s already had the supercharging that made him insane.

77. The Enforcers

The Criminal muscle trio get a short-lived nod in Spider-Man’s adventure. Well, one of them does, anyway. Jackson Brice (Montana) calls himself ‘The Shocker’ thanks to his shock-gloves. He’s soon accidentally killed by Toomes when trying to figure out an alien cannon. There’s no sign of Fancy Dan or the Ox though.

78. Miles Morales

Once he clears things up about his intentions with Spider-Man, Aaron Davis mentions to the Web-Head that he’s got a nephew living in the neighborhood that he wants to keep Toomes’ guns out of. In the Ultimate Spider-Man comics, that nephew goes by the name of Miles Morales, one of the most popular successors of Spider-Man and character of Into the Spider-Verse. What’s more? Donald Glover plays the voice of Miles Morales in The Ultimate Spider-Man cartoon series on Disney XD. Well played…

79. Thor’s Magic Belt

Here’s a blatant superhero Easter egg! Megingjörð, or ‘Thor’s Magic Belt’, as Happy calls it in the film, is a nod to the belt that Thor uses to increase his strength in the comics and in Norse mythology. At first, we saw it as a hint for the events in the Thor: Ragnarok. Too bad we didn’t get a glimpse of it.

80. The Spider-Man Kiss

After saving his fellow decathlon friends in D.C., Spider-Man has the chance to kiss his beloved Liz while upside down in an elevator shaft, provoking Karen to tell him that this is his chance to kiss her. This is a clear homage to the famous upside down, rain-soaked kiss between Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in the 2002 awesome Spider-Man film. We don’t think anything can top that iconic scene…

Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

81. The Mighty Throg

While waiting for Loki’s return from falling endlessly in Ragnarok, Thor tells a story to Strange about the time Loki turned him into a frog. This wasn’t a random story Strange wanted to tell, but an Easter Egg that only true comic lovers would have cracked open. Did you know that the Mighty Throg is real and he is indeed a talking frog imbued with the power of Thor? In the comics-world, he’s part of a group called the Pet Avengers who had his own little helmet and Mjolnir hammer.

82. Sun’s Getting Low

Originally mentioned in Age of Ultron by Black Widow as a way to tame the Hulk, this infamous line returns several times in Ragnarok. First, Thor tries it in the arena only for the green giant to feint and smash Thor around in a hilarious and very familiar way. Second time, Natasha says it herself during her video message in the quinjet. The line gets considerably less soothing for Banner when Thor insists on repeating the main four words to calm him down.

83. A World of Pure Imagination

The Grand Master really loves his job. So much so, that every ‘found’ arrival on his paradise is given a virtual tour to the tune of Pure Imagination from the 1971 classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. As icing on the cake, the tour is concluded with a psychedelic tunnel ride as frightening as it is exhilarating. Not too dissimilar to the frightening tunnel ride Willy Wonka shocks his guests with shortly after a soothing river cruise.

84. The Grandmaster’s Birthday

The birthday celebration system in the Grandmaster’s ship was no random button push. The Grandmaster first appeared in Mighty Avengers #69 on October 10th 1969, so it really was his birthday on the night of Ragnarok’s premiere. Jeff Goldblum had another secret feature in this movie, too. Watching the film on October 22nd would also count for something as this happens to be Goldblum’s birthday.

85. The Revengers

‘The Revengers’ were a thing for a short time. Although coming off as a sort of ‘Thor’s Avengers’ group in Ragnarok, they were something of an anti-Avengers in the comics. Made up of a team that included Venom, Goliath and Wonder Man (who have yet to appear in the MCU) the Revengers declared war on the Avengers, and while unable to beat them overall, had managed to damage the Manhattan-based Avengers Mansion.

It seems Thor isn’t so creative when it comes to naming his super-team in the movie. In Ragnarok, he names his team ‘The Revengers’ as a super-cool reference to the Universe’s original crew.

Black Panther (2018)

86. Panther’s Rage

What’s a standalone superhero story without a moment taken straight from a debut comic? For Black Panther, it comes late. The scene where Killmonger tosses T’Challa over a cliff is a direct parallel to the famous scene from the 1971 reinvention story, Panther’s Rage, where Killmonger is introduced.

87. Back to the Future Sneakers

Only the richest Marvel heroes can afford shoes like these! When T’Challa’s sister shows her brother a new pair of sneakers, she hints that she got the idea from “an old movie” that T’Chaka loved watching – a.k.a. Back to the Future. Shuri didn’t just come up with the self-assembling shoes out of nowhere. There’s no doubt that daddy Panther was a Marty McFly fan.

88. White Wolf

Bucky Barnes is seen hiding in Wakanda and he’s given the codename ‘White Wolf’. This name sounds pretty apt for HYDRA’s former hit-man. It’s unknown who the original White Wolf was, as he spent most of his life in Wakanda, but he was a foreigner stranded there who became chief of the War Dogs. Bucky also refers to this moniker in Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

89. War Dogs AKA Hatut Zeraze

The Hatut Zeraze, Wakanda’s covert ops/secret police force is yet another Easter Egg we were proud to catch. You may recall that ‘War Dogs’ was the moniker for royal spies and the agents that Killmonger planned to equip with vibranium weapons in order to begin his campaign. This is another name for the ‘Hatut Zeraze’. The War Dogs have also been mercenaries under the employ of Roxxon Energy.

90. The Lion King Parallel

Many would have noticed the visual similarities between Black Panther and The Lion King. Remember when T’Challa travels back to the ancestral plane after becoming the Black Panther? Well, that scenery looked a lot like Rafiki’s ancient tree in the Disney classic. The comparison photo below reveals just how many secret Lion King references there were in the Marvel movie.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

91. Uncle Morgan

One of Tony’s name suggestions for his unborn baby is ‘Morgan’. Is it a coincidence that in the comics, there’s a certain ‘Morgan’ who’s known as Tony’s cousin? This particular cousin is quite the troublesome and scheming douchebag, who’s after Stark’s company and who ends up turning himself into a giant death robot called Ultimo.

92. Bruce’s Landing

The way Bruce Banner fell through the skylight of the Sanctum Sanctorum mirrors the way the Silver Surfer crashed through the window to warn Strange of Thanos’ approach in the 1991 Infinity Gauntlet arc. This Infinity War Easter Egg nails the scene right down to being pretty-much naked and lying over broken furniture.

93. Rocket’s Love for Artificial Body Parts

Not once, but twice does Rocket’s interest in collecting robotic body parts appear. First, being the eye he gives to Thor, which he stole from some guy. And second, when he asks Bucky how much his arm costs after he realizes his gun is not for sale. Being told no, our raccoon still plans to get that arm anyway.

94. A Kick to the Jaw

In the showdown on Titan, classic Spidey says hi to Thanos with old ‘web to the face’ routine and later double-teams with Strange to jump between portals, punching and kicking the Mad Titan between them, including a solid kick to the jaw. These are two things Spidey got famous for doing during the 1991 Infinity Gauntlet showdown.

95. The Really Old ‘Alien’ Movie

Peter’s solution to getting rid of Ebony Maw is inspired by “another really old movie”, this time it’s James Cameron’s Aliens. Not only does it involve flushing the monster into space, we see Maw fly away from his ship in an almost exact replica of the Alien queen’s flight at the end of the movie.

Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

96. Cassie Lang

This awesome movie had a few great comic book references. Cassie Lang isn’t just any regular young girl who wants to “help people like my dad”. Comic book fans know that Cassie’s inspiration for her father goes a little deeper – in fact, she ends up becoming a superhero known as the size-changing Young Avenger, Stature – as later seen in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

97. The Matrix Reference

There are clearly tons of Easter Eggs in Marvel movies, but this one is classed as one of the sneakiest and obscure! Most moviegoers recognize Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus from The Matrix. It seems Ant-Man 2’s producers wanted to add a little more humor to their movie by writing the word ‘Matrix’ on the chalkboard behind Bill Foster’s lecture.

98. Magic University Classes

The website of Online Close-Up Magic University has popular classes listed on the right. Those classes include ‘Levitation’, ‘Misdirection’, and ‘Micro-Magic’. All of those tactics are cleverly used to defeat Thanos in Endgame. Wanda levitates him, Tony misdirects him with the gauntlet and gems and Scott brings micro-magic into the mix. 

99. Quantum Spectrometer 

In Ant-Man and the Wasp, Hope asks if they can modify a quantum spectrometer to track the lab’s emitted radiation. This might bring back memories when Bruce Banner used a quantum spectrometer to track the Tesseract in the first Avengers film.  

100. Bill Foster a.k.a. Goliath 

Bill Foster tells Scott he was Hank’s partner on a project called ‘Goliath’. Goliath happens to be Bill’s superhero name in the comics and Project Goliath was the second Marvel Cinematic Universe S.H.I.E.L.D. operation. According to Tony, the projects consisted of Pegasus, Exodus, and Goliath.  

Captain Marvel (2019)

101. Pulp Fiction References

Although jam-packed with several teasers and hidden references, one of the greatest Easter Eggs in Captain Marvel has to be the Pulp Fiction nod. Whether Samuel L. Jackson had a say in it or not (considering he starred in the Tarantino movie), these sneaky callbacks to the 1994 movie were epic indeed.

102. Monica Rambeau

Dedicated comic and Captain Marvel lovers would have recognized little Monica Rambeau. In the comics, Monica grows up to be yet another Captain Marvel, also known as Photon with cosmic energy powers just like Carol Danvers’. Funnily enough in the movie, her future as a hero is teased when Nick Fury tells her that she can only go off to space “if [you] she learns to glow”.

103. The Right Stuff

Landing in a Blockbuster video store (talk about landing in the 90’s!), Carol picks up a VHS copy of The Right Stuff, a 1983 movie about the astronauts of the Mercury Programme. She also blows up a True Lies (1994) standee which kinda clarifies that this movie takes place in 1995.

104. Top Gun References

Ace fighter pilots, a cat named Goose, an airfield and even Tom Cruise’s ‘call me’ sign. It’s a no-brainier that this nineties Air Force show would throw in more than one nod to that most iconic of air force movies, Top Gun. Feel the need, the need for speed!

105. Leave the Gun, Take the Cannoli

With the Starforce chasing them down, a decision is made to split Carol and Nick up. Carol takes the Fonz lunchbox saying “leave the lunchbox, take the Tesseract,” which sounds a lot like one of the more famous lines by Godfather hitman, Peter Clemenza, “leave the gun, take the cannoli.”

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

106. Stan Lee’s Final Cameo

What’s a list of Marvel Easter Eggs without one last Stan Lee cameo? Indeed, his final appearance was in Endgame and what an epic teaser it was for fans of the legendary comic book creator. When Steve and Tony return to the 70’s, we get a glimpse of a car with the bumper sticker, ‘Exelsior’ on it. Driving the car with a lady beside him is none other than a ‘young’ Stan Lee. He went out in style.

107. Harley Keener’s Appearance

At Tony Stark’s funeral was a young boy only few would have been able to recognize. The dark-haired lad was in fact a now-older Harley Keener – remember him? He’s the kid who helped Tony out during the latter’s struggle with the Mandarin in Iron Man 3.

108. A Dance with Peggy

Steve Rogers finally got his dance with Peggy Carter in Endgame. Eagle-eared fans would have noticed the song playing in the background – It’s Been a Long Long Time. This was the track that was playing in Peggy’s room while she was on her deathbed in Winter Soldier and the song did indeed come out in 1945, but you’re never too late to hear something for the first time.

109. Stark’s Arc Reactor

Pay attention during Endgame and you’ll see that this particular scene showing the Avengers’ arms positioned together very much resembles Stark’s arc reactor. Great imagery, Marvel! And pretty emotional.

110. Effects of The Aether

Hank Pym certainly was right to panic when he was told some technicians had gotten sick after being exposed to a box of red glowing stuff. The incident itself however sounds a lot similar to what happened to Jane Foster when she was infected with the Reality Stone. Exposed to a glowing red substance, this slowly killed her over the course of Thor: The Dark World.

Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)

111. Uncle Ben Reference

Look closely at Peter Parker’s suitcase in Far From Home and you’ll recognize the initials ‘BFP’. Could this bag have belonged to his Uncle Ben? It looks like the MCU has finally acknowledged Peter’s late and loving uncle, and it was about time!

112. ASM 212

In the background of the second Spider-Man instalment are several serial numbers and letters, one specifically being ‘ASM 212’. This code imprinted on a boat behind Ned is a secret reference to the famous comic-book, Amazing Spider-Man #21, where Hydro-Man first appears. Coincidentally, the group face a water monster later in that scene.

113. Peter Parker’s Birth Date

Look closely at Peter’s funny U.S passport and you’ll notice that his birthday is listed as August 10th. Turns out, this is the same date that the first Spider-Man comic-book was released – Amazing Fantasy #15. You’ve gotta love these sneaky little Marvel nods!

114. A PS4 Selfie

Recognize that awesome selfie from somewhere? You’re right! When Peter is swinging through Manhattan at the end of Far From Home, he stops to take a selfie, giving the peace sign. This is a clear and super-cool reference to the PS4 game, “Marvel’s Spider-Man”, which lets gamers use the popular ‘Photo Mode’.

115. JJJ Returns

J. Jonah Jameson makes a comeback during the mid-credits scene in Far From Home. This Easter Egg brought double the joy because not only does the iconic Spider-Man character return, but the actor who plays him is the same dude in Sam Raimi’s films – J.K. Simmons! This time round, JJJ runs The Daily Bugle which is a “controversial news website”. He’s also spotted in No Way Home…

Black Widow (2021)

116. The North Institute 

When the family attempts to flee the SUVs following them, we see S.H.I.E.L.D. on the side of the vehicles. Turns out, the fam wasn’t detected for being Russian spies, but for interfering with a S.H.I.E.L.D. operation known as the North Institute. This institute worked for the Gynacon corporation, a direct nod to the 2004 Black Widow comic series. 

117. Photo Booth Pics

As the soldiers try to separate the girls, Natasha hands Elena a folded piece of paper. It turns out to be half of the photo-booth pictures Natasha grabbed from the family truck. Later in the film, Elena uses the other half to mark a message for Natasha. 

118. Dreykov the Terrible 

During a heated discussion with Natasha, Loki name-drops Dreykov back in the Avengers movie. Throughout Black Widow, we learn that Dreykov uses and abuses his Black Widows to grow his empire. He even implants his daughter Antonia, turning her into the killing machine, Taskmaster. Talk about father of the year. 

119. The Red Ring 

In the montage scene of Natasha’s training, there’s a close-up of Drakov’s red and gold ring. You might later notice that Natasha uses the ring to unlock and download the Red Room information.  

120. Crimson Dynamo 

The conversation between Alexei and Elena adds some comic relief. Elena tells him, “The only thing you care about is your stupid glory days as the Crimson Dynamo.” He corrects her by saying, “It’s the Red Guardian.” Crimson Dynamo is another Russian villain in the Marvel comics.  

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)

121. Beautiful Fight Scenes 

The film shares its cinematographer, Bill Pope, with the Matrix movies and the similarities in the film are totally apparent! Both films show an opponent dodging an object by bending backward. The lush landscapes make this movie a beautiful spectacle. 

122. Blip Support 

As Shang-Chi walks to Katie’s apartment building, he passes a poster which reads, “Blip anxiety you are not alone national blip support hotline.” The poster references the blip of the population at the end of Avengers: Endgame. But it also shows the traumatizing aspects of the blip event are still felt.  

123. Klev Returns 

Comedian Zack Cherry cameos as the bus passenger, Klev, recording the fight between Shang-Chi, Razor Fist, and his gang. He also appeared in Spider-Man: Homecoming as the vendor guy asking Spidey to do a back-flip. I wonder where Klev will end up next? 

124. The Golden Daggers Club 

During a low-level fight at the Golden Daggers Club, there’s a match between a female warrior played by stunt actress Jade Xu. She’s credited as ‘Widow’, so we’re guessing she’s probably one of the freed Black Widows. Her opponent is a guy with an orange-red glowing skin who might be a survivor of A.I.M.’S Extremist Treatment in Iron Man 3. 

125. Emil Blonsky

Fellow Sorcerer Wong from Doctor Strange can be seen fighting Abomination, a.k.a. Emil Blonsky from The Incredible Hulk. When Abomination isn’t sitting in a high-tech jail cell, he’s let out for exercise at an underground fight club. That’s not a bad way to spend your sentence. 

Eternals (2021)

126. In the Beginning 

The words, “In the beginning” at the start of the credits are the same words written in the Bible. The phrase sets up the plot as the origin story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We also learn that the Celestials who created the Eternals are older than the Infinity Stones. Did the Celestials create the gems? Since there are six stones to correspond to their six eyes, it’s possible. 

127. The Domo 

The ship that brought the Eternals to Earth is called Domo. But in the comics, Domo was an Eternal who handled the affairs and issues on Olympia. He also worked for Zuras, Athena’s father. Talk about a demotion. 

128. A Different Creation Story 

Something else you may have totally missed was the change of the Eternals creation story. The film has them arrive at Earth already made. But the comics show the Celestials create them on Earth through genetic experiments with humans and Deviants. Too bad the comic version got scrapped. 

129. The Black Knight

At Dane’s birthday party, Sersei gives him a ring with a raven emblem on the top. This ring bears a family crest and is a symbol of the Black Knight. This alludes to the comics where Dane Whitman becomes the Black Knight himself. The character is a warrior family member with a magical ebony blade sword. 

130. Hoarded Treasures 

Makari’s hoarded treasures on the Domo are vast. The items on board include an ancient golden statue of the deity Bastet, that influenced the Wakandan Black Panther deity named Bast; the Holy Grail chalice from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and a bundle of scrolls that may come from the lost library of Alexandria. Plus, an uneaten McDonald’s Big Mac. Ick! 

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

131. Daredevil’s Cameo

At long last, we get confirmation that Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock exists in the MCU. Making a grand cameo from Netflix’s original series, Daredevil is the Man Without Fear himself in lawyer form, helping Peter Parker out. He swiftly catches a hurling brick, prompting Peter to ask him how he did that. What does Murdock say? That he’s “a really good lawyer.” Yeah, okay, dude.

132. Dum-E

What’s Spider-Man without an Iron Man Easter Egg? Look closely during the scene in Happy’s apartment and you may quickly spot Tony Stark’s hydraulic arm robot, Dum-E. These ‘assistants’ were used throughout the Iron Man trilogy and in Homecoming, as well.

133. Every Spidey Theme

Musical cues are played throughout No Way Home, ones that link to the individual Spider-Men. Tobey Maguire’s 2002’s Spider-Man theme by Danny Elfman can be heard before meeting Tom Holland’s Spidey on the roof, while Andrew Garfield’s theme can be picked up multiple times in the movie.

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134. Spider-Man Pointing Meme

We may have got a secret nod to this famous meme in Into the Spider-Verse, but it once again returns in No Way Home as a funny little callback. Ned asks for Peter while assembling a science experiment to help fix the villains, leading all three Peter Parkers to point at themselves and each other when wondering which Peter Ned is asking for.

135. Venom’s Appearance

These multiverse references just keep getting better! In a post-credit scene, fans get a fun glimpse of Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock and Venom as they learn about the MCU and its infamous heroes. He mentions “a billionaire, he had a tin suit, and he could fly” (a.k.a. Iron Man), “a really angry green man” (Hulk) and a “purple alien who loves stones” (Thanos). Before getting zapped back into his world, Eddie also says that he’s headed to New York to “speak to this Spider-Man”.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

136. Black Bolt

One of the Illuminati group members that Strange runs into is none other than Black Bolt – a Marvel superhero that was introduced in the comics back in 1965. In fact, die-hard fans would have recognized this character and the actor playing him (Anson Mount) from the Inhumans series.

137. Captain Carter Can Do This All Day

In the animated anthology series What…If?, Captain Carter is represented as an alternate take on Captain America – a different version of Peggy Carter who took the Super Soldier Serum. Well, she makes another appearance in Multitude of Madness as one of the members of the Illuminati and even utters Steve Roger’s famous line while fighting off Wanda, “I can do this all day.”

138. Clea

In the Doctor Strange 2 post-credit scenes, Charlize Theron makes a fun surprise as Clea. There, she tells Strange, “You caused an incursion and we’re gonna fix it,” before opening a dimension. For those who may not know, this character derives from Marvel’s comics as a sorceress and also happens to be romantically involved with Stephen…

139. Mister Fantastic

It’s always a joy to see John Krasinski’s face! He shows up as Mister Fantastic in Multiverse of Madness, a version of Reed Richards. This is actually the first time the Fantastic Four have been referenced in the MCU. Are we to see Krasinski reprise the role in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie? It’s unlikely, but fingers crossed!

140. Professor X

Probably the most exciting cameo and Easter Egg in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness! Indeed, Professor X makes an awesome cameo for the first time in the MCU. Although we all know him as Charles Xavier from 2000’s X-Men, this time, he plays a version of Charles from the X-Men animated series. Still super-cool!

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

141. Yggdrasil

If you’re a know-it-all when it comes to Thor’s comic books and Old Norse history, this small Easter Egg might have got your heart pumping. In the opening scene of Thor 3, the hero is seen wearing a shirt with Yggdrasil on it. Norse mythology will tell you that this is the World Tree that holds up the Nine Realms, including Asgard, Jotunheim, and Niflheim.

142. Thor’s Goats

Remember when Thor was gifted two goats after saving a planet? Well, these furry creatures are actually pulled straight out of the comics and are named Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder. On paper, these mystical goats pull Thor’s chariot, but in Love and Thunder, they’re seen pulling a tourist Viking ship.

143. ‘Event Horizon’ and ‘Interstellar’ References

Jane must be a fan of these spectacular space movies. She mentions them to a man whilst receiving her chemotherapy treatment, in efforts to explain how the Einstein–Rosen bridge (wormholes) works. Like the characters in Event Horizon and Interstellar, Jane pokes a hole through a piece of paper to explain it.

144. ‘Nick Furry’

So, apparently, Thor has a nickname for good ol’ Nick – and it’s ‘Nick Furry’. How do we know? Look closely at his phone when Fury calls him during the flashback to Thor and Jane’s relationship. Thor’s phone says ‘Nick Furry’ is calling!

145. Loki Tattoos

This Lover and Thunder Easter Egg will get you teary-eyed. Loki may be alive in an alternate universe (as seen in Loki), but Thor still believes his brother is dead and gone following the events of Infinity War. When Thor meets Zeus and his body is exposed, his tattoos which feature Loki’s helmet and a broken heart can be spotted. The words include “R.I.P. Loki”.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

146. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

A teaser for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is secretly handed to us during Anderson Cooper’s CNN report when a banner at the bottom of the screen reads, “Scott Lang continues tour in support of autobiography Look Out For The Little Guy.” Scott Lang’s newfound fame and his book were actually teased in the first trailer for Ant-Man 3.

147. Wakandan Outreach Center

Remember at the end of Black Panther when T’Challa revealed that he wanted to build outreach centers in California? Well, listen carefully during Ramonda’s speech at the UN and you’ll hear that she mentions these very outreach centers and how an attack has been made on them.

148. MIT

In Wakanda Forever, we find out that MIT is where Riri Williams is currently attending and where she built the vibranium detection machine. Well, MIT is also mentioned at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home when MJ and Ned find out they’re also going to attend this institution. It also happens to be the same place Tony Stark studied at, too.

149. Chadwick Boseman’s Birthday

There’s no Black Panther without remembering Chadwick Boseman. Wakanda Forever paid tribute to the late actor by honoring his birthday in a subtle way. The license plate on the prison transport van that Ross is in reads “CB112976” – a reference to Boseman who was born on November 29th 1976.

150. T’Challa’s Son’s Earlier Appearance

Sure, we met T’Challa and Nakia’s son during the mid-credits scene of Wakanda Forever, but it was actually much earlier in the film when we got our first introduction to him. Look closely and you’ll notice that one of the children who brings Ramonda to Nakia in Haiti is in fact Toussaint.

Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

151. Scott Lang’s Book

In Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania, we learn that Scott Lang has not only released a podcast (as revealed in the TV series Ms. Marvel), but a book, too, which recounts his life story about becoming Ant-Man and joining The Avengers. This isn’t just a made-up autobiography for the movie, however. “Look Out For The Little Guy!” by Scott Lang is actually available to buy in real-life on Amazon (paid link)!

152. ‘Star Wars’ Homage

The MCU gets its very own Cantina! Did you find that bar scene incredibly familiar? Well, Star Wars fans would be delighted to know that these visuals were pulled directly from the Cantina scene in A New Hope.

153. “The One With the Hammer”

So we learned in Quantumania that Kang the Conqueror has faced the Avengers many times before in other timelines – and killed them. He can’t remember them individually, but he does recall killing one specific Avengers hero – “the one with the hammer”. Clearly, this is a fun shout-out to Thor. But is it, really? Let’s not forget Mighty Thor, Vision, and even Captain America have wielded Thor’s hammer before, too!

154. 18147

The code for a bridge in Kang’s fortress is said to be “18147”. Well, that’s not just any number folks, but yet another sneaky and fun MCU Easter Egg. The comic Avengers #181 is the first appearance of Scott Lang, while Marvel Premiere #47 features his first appearance as Ant-Man.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3 (2023)

155. The Ravager Symbol

Comic fans would have spotted this Marvel Easter Egg within seconds – the Guardians’ new suits feature the Ravager symbol. As mentioned earlier, the Ravagers were the first iteration of the Guardians of the Galaxy team, whom Peter Quill was initially a part of. We guess this was Peter’s way of honoring his origins.

156. Rocket’s Friends Have Comic Counterparts

Rocket and his prisoner animal companions are the unexpected stars of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. If you, too, fell in love with them during the movie, you can learn more about their characters in the Marvel comics. Lylla the otter is referred to as “Lady Lylla” in the comics, and is known as Rocket’s soulmate; while Teefs the walrus is possibly a nod to “Wal Rus”, and Floor the rabbit may be another version of “Blackjack O’Hare”, both of which were introduced in 1982’s Incredible Hulk Vol. 1 issue No. 271.

Fun fact? Lylla is voiced by Linda Cardellini, the actress who played wife of Clint Barton/Hawkeye.

157. That ‘Robocop’ Reference

Did you catch Peter’s hilarious reference to 80’s movie, Robocop, near the end of GotG Vol.3? When talking to nemesis, the High Revolutionary, Quill refers to him as a “stretched-face, Robocop-lookin’, Purple Nurple, piece of…” Funnily enough, the High Revolutionary and Robocop have a lot in common – both of their faces are attached to robotic frames.

158. The New Ship is Named After an Iconic Star

As revealed by Peter Quill, the Guardians of the Galaxy’s new ship is called “The Bowie”. Now, we all know about Peter’s love for 80’s music, so this could only mean that the new ship’s name was inspired by none other than 80’s pop icon, David Bowie.

159. James Gunn and His Wife’s Cameo

Remember that awful-looking creature Mantis comes across and shudders? Well, that poor little thing is played/voiced by none other than director James Gunn. He’s featured in the credits as “Lamb-Shank”. What’s more, Gunn’s wife, actress Jennifer Holland, also makes a secret cameo as an Orgocorp worker, Administrator Kwol.

160. An Introduction to Phyla-Vell

If you watched the first end-credit scene, you’d have noticed the young girl whose superpowers resemble those of Captain Marvel. That’s no coincidence. This is Phyla-Vell, daughter of Mar-Vell, who becomes the fourth Captain Marvel. This particular superhero ends up joining the comics’ 2008 roster of the Guardians of the Galaxy. 

These superhero Easter eggs are often hard to spot, making it all the more rewarding when you find a new one.

Keep us up to date with your favorite Marvel movie Easter eggs by leaving the best ones you notice in the comments below…

There are sections of this article that were written by Tamika M Murray, Kasey Rubenstein and Angela Stephanou.
This article was originally published in October 2018.

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