Many films have these tiny little details that only 1% of the viewers can notice and understand. Whether these special nuggets are simple, fun decoration details or multi-leveled Easter eggs, fans love looking for them.
While these hidden details are usually difficult to find for laypeople, some keen-eyed viewers have a knack for spotting even the most minuscule references and connections in almost every movie.
1. Linda Blair in Scream (1996) and The Exorcist
In Scream (1996), Billy Loomis references The Exorcist, lamenting how “all the good stuff was cut out” of the TV version. Later, Linda Blair, who famously played Regan in The Exorcist, makes a clever cameo as a nosy reporter. She badgers Sidney Prescott with annoying questions, and The Exorcist fans may notice Blair’s costume detail: cross-shaped earrings, subtly reinforcing the connection between her iconic role and this playful meta-reference.
2. Tron: Legacy (2010)
Tron: Legacy includes an Easter egg for Disney’s The Black Hole (1979) fans. On Sam’s desk, there’s a figurine of Maximilian, the villainous robot from the cult sci-fi film. Director Joseph Kosinski added this as a nod to his involvement in Disney’s planned remake of The Black Hole. The similarities to Interstellar (2014) led to the shelving of the remake, but the figurine remains a tribute to the project.
3. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
In X-Men: Days of Future Past, Dr. Trask warns the President about Mystique’s powers and says that she can transform into anyone: a general, a Secret Serviceman, even the President. This cool bit foreshadows Mystique transforming into each one of those roles throughout the film in the same exact order.
4. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
A nostalgic audio cue starts playing during an office scene in Dark of the Moon before a “new photocopier from Japan” morphs into Laserbeak. Its beeping mimics the iconic theme song from the 1984 Transformers cartoon—”Robots in Disguise.” This little detail is a real nostalgic gem for those who heard it in the theaters.
5. King Kong (2005)
In Peter Jackson’s King Kong, a seemingly minor scene cleverly foreshadows a future event. During Ann Darrow’s stage performance, a fat man in the audience bursts into laughter as he witnesses her hilarious fall. This parallels a bit later in the movie when Kong also chuckles when Ann playfully stumbles to entertain him.
6. Deadpool and Wolverine (2024)
Ryan Reynolds’ love for planes, trains, and automobiles finds its way into Deadpool and Wolverine. In the Void, some eagle-eyed fans spotted the burned-out car from the comedy classic. This Easter egg pays homage to John Candy and Steve Martin’s iconic road-trip disaster and basically ties their characters to the Marvel multiverse.
7. Aladdin (2019)
In a scene where the Genie holds a scroll detailing Agrabah’s governing laws and tells Aladdin to wish away the rule requiring Jasmine to marry a prince, you can see upon closer inspection there’s a real-world reference, namely, Article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, written in Arabic. It’s also apparently been put through Google Translate, so it’s partially gibberish.
8. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
In Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, the Predator’s trophy wall offers a treasure trove of Easter eggs. There’s a Space Jockey helmet from Alien (confirmed in the director’s commentary); alongside it are three Xenomorph skulls, including a Queen Xeno, and, oddly enough, a triceratops skull. Is there a planet with dinosaurs out there, or have the Predators been visiting our little Blue Dot for millions of years?
9. Waterworld (1995)
Waterworld features submerged Easter eggs that nod to other iconic films. While much of the Denver sequence was cut, the miniature team had included props like the mask from The Mask (1994) and the Orca from Jaws (1975). Some say they saw a monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey in one of the underwater scenes, but the image is way too blurry to confirm it.
10. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
In the Lord of the Rings, illustrators Alan Lee and John Howe appear as two of the nine kings who receive rings of power. Known for their iconic Tolkien artwork, this amazing cameo loosely connects the film to its rich visual history. Later in the story, their transformation into Nazgûl (Ringwraiths) is a fitting nod to their creative role in shaping Middle-earth’s imagery, blending their artistry with the lore they helped bring to life.
