Every Hidden Easter Egg I Found Rewatching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Phil Lord and Chris Miller told Total Film that Across the Spider-Verse still has Easter eggs nobody has found yet, and that they themselves are hidden in the movie without even realizing it. I took that as a challenge and went digging through the film for every deep, buried detail I could find.

For anyone who loves this movie, these details matter because the animation team stuffed nearly every frame with references, in-jokes, and tributes to real people, and once you know where to look you can never watch the film the same way again.

The Train Ads After Peter Dies in Gwen's Universe Hide a Real VFX Supervisor's Family

After Peter dies in Gwen's universe, the train she is riding speeds past a couple of ads. One reads Green Goblin, but another reads Maddie and the Bitter Glow, which is a reference to VFX supervisor Michael Lasker's daughter, who is also a singer.

George Stacy Was Designed to Look Like Burt Lancaster

Gwen's dad, George Stacy, was inspired by how distinctive Burt Lancaster's features were. Looking at the two side by side, it is honestly a little wild how much they resemble each other.

Gwen's Bedroom Was Designed by Tiffany Lamb Using Her Own Memorabilia

The scene at Gwen's dresser closet and most of her room was designed by Tiffany Lamb, who used a lot of her own personal memorabilia to build it out. My favorite detail is that the tapes on Gwen's shelf are actually named after other designers who worked on the movie, including Jake Panion, Kat Sai, Wilcoiner, Jay Ther, Felicia Chen, Dave Bleu, Wendell Dight, Chloe Look, and Steven Couture.

The Vulture Explosion Includes a Quiet 9/11 Tribute

Behind the ambulances after Vulture's explosion, you can spot Ladder 3. FDNY Ladder Company 3, based in Manhattan's East Village, was among the first responders at the World Trade Center on 9/11. This could be a direct tribute to them, or just a nod to the ladder company in general.

Vulture's Look Was Pulled Straight From Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus

Character designer Marco Belur said the main inspiration for Vulture's design came from Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Atlanticus, which explains the classic Da Vinci aesthetic in his outfit and weaponry. Notes from the Spider-Man art book even detail the hidden blades in his backpack, which pay off later when Gwen narrowly avoids getting hit by them.

Vulture's Bomb Schematics Were Designed and Shared by Jay Ther

When Vulture releases his bombs, we briefly see their schematics on screen. Those were designed by Jay Ther, who shared them on his Instagram, though the font is too small for me to actually read.

Miguel's Lasers and Watch Contain Hidden Coordinates

According to designs shared on Jake's Instagram, the lasers Miguel uses on George actually have words running through them, similar to the lettering visible on Miguel's suit if you look closely at the red sections, especially at Earth 928. Miguel's watch reads Earth 65, which is Gwen's world, before he pins in coordinates back to Earth 928, his own universe. At the top of the watch it reads 1610 and 138, with 1610 being Miles's universe and 138 being Hobie's. An early design test had that field labeled favorites before it was changed to destination, which could imply Miguel has already visited Miles's universe, or that it is simply among his favorites.

Miles's Brooklyn Intro Is Packed With Real New York References

Once we reach Miles's intro, there are shout outs to Flatbush and to the B7 bus line out of Midwood. Nearby, a fruit stand and graffiti done by Chris O'Keefe reads Steve Sweatpants with a disposable camera, a reference to photographer John Irby, known as Steve Sweatpants, who created the photo essay 41 to 99. Above the counselor's office hangs a flag that just reads Panther, which is likely a nod to Black Panther since that does not appear to be the school's actual mascot.

The Counselor's Office Was One of the First Sets Designed for the Film

Jay Ther said the counselor's office was one of the first sets built for the movie, and he helped design it. The final version is close to the original concept, though there is no bowl of candy and the bear ends up hugging the clock on the shelf instead.

The Basketball Gym Has a Black Lives Matter Sign and a Real Bodega Reference

During the basketball game, the names on the wall belong to friends of the animation team, including Ryan Tulok Xiao and Thomas Celo. There is a large Black Lives Matter sign, and in the bottom right corner a sign for Mother Shuckers, a real place, alongside a nod to its founder, Moody Harney. Far right of the bodega there is graffiti commemorating ODB, designed by Tiffany Lamb, who has said most of what appears in that bodega is made up, aside from the magazine rack full of real Spider-Man comics.

Miles's Design Took Cues From Kawhi Leonard's High School Photos

Christopher Ana said it took months to find the right way to mature Miles's initial design, and the team studied high school photos of basketball player Kawhi Leonard as a reference point for Miles.

Spot's Office Was Modeled After Tiffany Lamb's Engineer Father

When we visit Spot's apartment, the mess reflects that his life is his work. Tiffany Lamb designed that office and modeled it after her own father's workspace, since he is an engineer, a small detail I found genuinely sweet.

A String of Small Details I Almost Missed

When Gwen is falling, you can spot a drink called Shaka Energy Cola on the right side of the frame. When Peri saves Miles, the plastic wrapped around his hand shapes itself into the Spider-Man logo. According to the art book, Prowler's powers actually came from a mystical Shaman rather than magic, which is a little different from how it plays out in the comics. When we meet Hobie, there is a crying baby cop designed by animator Wendell Dight's daughter, and the back of Hobie's jacket reads FNSM for Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

Earth 928's Spider-Man Headquarters Was Built Using a Blade Runner Comic as a Blueprint

When building out Earth 928, the team used The Long Tomorrow, the comic that famously inspired Blade Runner, as their reference point for an avant garde, futuristic look. Christopher Ana shared many of the character designs made for this world on Instagram, several based on friends of the team, though not all of them made the final cut. Among the ones that did not fully make it in are a design labeled 2211 and a little stuffed Spider-Man that Amy Thompson painted, along with a cyborg spider designed by Wendell. Most of the villains seen crowded against the wall made it into the film, though Hammerhead and his little fedora appear to have just missed the cut. I also love Amy Thompson's pirate-style Doctor Octopus design that shows up among the group.

Spider Bite's Backstory Comes Straight From the Art Book

When Miles runs into Spider Bite, the Spider-Man art book reveals that Margot, her real identity, comes from a world where most of the population spends their entire days as avatars in cyberspace. In that reality the virtual world is riddled with crime, so Margot created an armored, spider-powered digital avatar to fight it, a backstory that is easy to miss just from watching the scene.

Venom's 2099 Design and the Multiverse Doctor Octopus Arm

In the same sequence, you can spot Venom's 2099 chess figure design, along with an original Doctor Octopus arm taken from a version of Doc Ock defeated across the multiverse, visible next to the 2099 villain's jaw. Details shared on Jake's Instagram highlight exactly how these pieces were worked into the shot.

The Billboards During Miles's Fall Were Designed by Artist Mac Zaba

When Miles's tether snaps, the billboards visible in the background, at least the middle one that is easiest to catch, were designed by artist Mac Zaba, who also added a lot of detail to the vehicles throughout Nueva York.

Baby May's Crib Has Two Villain Plushies

When Peter B. Parker puts May down to bed with MJ, there are two stuffed animals in her crib that turn out to be a stuffed Doc Ock and Green Goblin. So even in her sleep, she is fighting the bad guys, which is a small detail I really love.

A lot of these Easter eggs came directly out of the official Across the Spider-Verse art book, so if you want even more of them, that book is worth tracking down.

Which of these hidden details did you miss on your first watch?