All The Easter Eggs in the New 'Superman' Movie

Easter Eggs in the Superman Movie

Familiar Voices and Faces

• A-List Kryptonian: In a major reveal, Bradley Cooper lends his voice to Superman's Kryptonian father, Jor-El. His message to Kal-El becomes a crucial element of the film's plot.
• Fortress Robots: The robots assisting Superman in the Fortress of Solitude are voiced by several familiar actors from Gunn's past, including Jennifer Holland, Alan Tudyk, and Guardians of the Galaxy alums Michael Rooker and Pom Klementieff.
• A Smallville Reunion: Listen closely to the LuthorCorp soldiers (the Raptors). One of them is voiced by Michael Rosenbaum, famous for his iconic portrayal of Lex Luthor in the long-running series Smallville. Nicholas Hoult, the new Lex Luthor, even consulted with Rosenbaum for the role.
• The Reeve Legacy: In a touching tribute, Will Reeve, son of the legendary Christopher Reeve, makes a cameo appearance as a news reporter.
• DCU Connections: We get clear connections to the broader universe with Frank Grillo reprising his Creature Commandos role as General Rick Flag Sr., and John Cena making an unexpected cameo appearance as Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker, on a news broadcast.

Nods to the Donner Era and Classic Comics

• Classic Credits: The way the Superman logo moves and is highlighted in the title sequence is a direct visual reference to Richard Donner’s classic films starring Christopher Reeve.
• The Williams Score: While the film features a new score, several musical cues subtly build off John Williams' unforgettable compositions from the original 1978 Superman.
• Lex Luthor's Real Estate Obsession: The central plot, involving Lex Luthor attempting to incite a war between the nations of Boravia and Jarhanpur to seize land, mirrors the convoluted real estate scheme orchestrated by Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor in the 1978 movie.
• No "Chief" for Perry: A running gag from the classic comics and TV shows is included, with Perry White telling Jimmy Olsen not to call him "Chief".
• The Hypno-Glasses Explained: The film offers a fantastically comic-book explanation for Clark Kent's disguise: Guy Gardner reveals that his glasses are actually a piece of Kryptonian tech that act as "hypno-glasses," subtly altering the perception of his face to those who look at him.

Comic Book Deep Cuts and Fictional Brands

• Snacks and Sodas: Keep an eye out for Zesti Cola and Chocos, the latter being a favorite snack of the Martian Manhunter. The popular Arrowverse staple Big Belly Burger also makes an appearance.
• Corporate DC: References to Stagg Industries (linked to Metamorpho's origin) and The Sphere (a new fictional news network created for the DCU) are scattered throughout.
• Ultraman: The imperfect duplicate of Superman created by Lex Luthor is fittingly named Ultraman, a classic evil counterpart from the comics. This version is a drone created from Superman's DNA.
• All-Star Superman Influence: The film heavily draws from Grant Morrison's seminal comic series All-Star Superman, incorporating not just themes but direct panel-to-screen moments.

Setting the Stage for the Future

Superman isn't just a standalone story; it lays significant groundwork for future DCU projects.

• A.R.G.U.S. Leadership: Rick Flag Sr. is introduced as the new director of A.R.G.U.S., taking over the reins from Amanda Waller.
• The Hall of Justice and the JSA: The Justice Gang operates from the Hall of Justice. Eagle-eyed viewers will notice that the filming location, Union Terminal in Cincinnati, was the original inspiration for the Hall of Justice in the Super Friends cartoon. Furthermore, a painting inside the Hall includes Ted Grant/Wildcat, teasing the existence of the Justice Society of America (JSA).
• A Nod to Gotham: An interstate road sign clearly points toward Gotham City.
• Maxwell Lord: The influential and often nefarious businessman Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn) appears briefly in a television interview. His company, LordTech, is revealed to be funding the Justice Gang.
• Belle Reve: Lex Luthor is ultimately incarcerated in Belle Reve, the infamous prison known for housing the members of Task Force X (the Suicide Squad).
• Pocket Dimensions: Lex Luthor utilizes a pocket dimension for his prison, technology previously seen in the hands of Peacemaker’s father in Peacemaker Season 1. A mysterious inmate referred to as "Mr. Handsome" is speculated to be a White Martian.
• The Mighty Crabjoys: This fictional pop band is referenced in Superman, having already been mentioned in Creature Commandos and Peacemaker Season 2 promotional materials.
• Supergirl and Krypto: In a pre-credits scene, Kara Zor-El (Millie Alcock) makes a dramatic entrance, smashing through a wall in the Fortress of Solitude to reclaim her dog, Krypto. This directly sets up the upcoming Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow film.
• Post-Credit Surprises: The film features two post-credit scenes. The mid-credit scene shows Superman and Krypto on the moon, a direct homage to a panel from All-Star Superman. The final post-credit scene features a conversation between Superman and Mr. Terrific as they survey the damage from the final battle.