It’s no secret that Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One is chock full of Easter Eggs, cameos, and references to nerd culture. The entire movie is about finding an Easter Egg for crying out loud!
Being that this was a Warner Bros. movie, it was expected that many WB properties would be appearing in the flick. That was certainly true, and what bigger WB franchise is more popular than the wide universe of DC Comics?
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From start to finish, Ready Player One contains no shortage of references to the characters of DC. Some of these come in the form of quick cameos, while others are lines borrowed from iconic villains.
So, the question remains, what exactly did Ready Player One borrow from DC Comics? Let’s break it down!
WARNING: Mild spoilers for Ready Player One are ahead!
Batman Climbs Everest
Ready Player One hits the ground running when it comes to cameos and Easter Eggs. Just a couple of minutes into the movie, while Wade Watts is still telling audiences what the Oasis is, Batman is placed at the center of the action.
The film begins with Wade explaining all of the different things a person can do in the virtual universe of the Oasis. He brings up the “Vacation Planet,” where users can surf on 50-foot waves or ski down the pyramids of Egypt. Or, if they’re so inclined, players can choose to climb Mount Everest with Batman.
That’s when Batman appears, in all his glory, helping a group of travellers climb the rugged mountatin.
Since he’s so far away, it’s hard to tell exactly what design the movie used for Batman, but the yellow logo makes it look similar to the suit Michael Keaton donned in the 1989 film.
Joker, Deathstroke, and Harley Quinn in the Club
If you paid attention to the trailers for Ready Player One, you probably spotted a couple of cameos from some popular DC villains. Three of these big appearances came in the big dance club scene during the second act of the film.
When Parzival and Art3mis arrived at the Distracted Globe dance club where they believe a clue about the game is hidden. As they walk into the room, they’re passed by Deathstroke, who you can recognize by the twin swords on his back.
Later on in the scene, both Harley Quinn and Joker are spotted. Harley is seen at a private table with a couple of other women. The villainous I-R0k wants the table to himself so he can spy on the Parzival, so he makes Harley and her friends leave.
Harley is seen a second time in that same scene, this time at the Joker’s side. Both seem captivated by the dance Parzival and Art3mis are performing.
Joker actually appears one more time in the movie, charging into battle alongside Spawn and some other comic book characters.
Clark Kent Disguise
Superman didn’t have a big moment in this movie (though it could be argued that the evil Nolan Sorrento based his Oasis avatar on the Man of Steel), but Clark Kent got more than a little bit of attention.
Once Parzival wins the first challenge and becomes a celebrity in the Oasis, he gets swarmed by a bunch of other players wanting to get a picture with him. Art3mis wisely tells Parzival that he needs a disguise to get around.
She pulls out a pair of Clark Kent glasses and a suit to give him, which drastically change his look.
What’s funny about this is that the glasses are actually a disguise for Parzival. For years, fans have joked about Superman’s disguise, wondering how simply putting on a pair of glasses could keep the hero from being recognized by anyone.
Deadshot, Flash, and Batgirl Cameos
Not every cameo in the movie is as profound as that of Batman or Harley Quinn. If you blinked at the wrong time, you probably missed these three DC characters.
A glimpse of The Flash could be seen at the very beginning of the movie as the Oasis was first introduced. As players jumped to and from different worlds, one of them suited up in the classic Flash costume and they were gone a split second later.
Both Deadshot and Batgirl were seen later on in the movie, when the Oasis players waged war on IOI’s forces.
ACE Chemicals
Not only was Joker seen on more than one occasion, but so was the chemical plant that turned him into a villain in the first place.
In the very first race sequence, Parzival knocks Art3mis off of her bike in order to save her from getting killed by King Kong.
As the two stand up to argue, the Ace Cheimcals name can be seen printing on the side of the brick building towering behind them.
The Batmobile
The race scene, arguably the most pivotal sequence in the first act of the film, focuses on two main vehicles that both also happen to be Easter Eggs. Parzival drives the Delorean from Back to the Future, while Art3mis rides on the motorcycle from Akira.
One other iconic vehicle is easy to spot in this scene, and it’s the Batmobile from the 1966 version of Batman.
The vehicle can be seen in the initial lineup of cars before the race, as well as later in the race itself, when the car is trying to avoid a wreck.
Wonder Woman & Batman Logos
Wonder Woman didn’t have an appearance in Ready Player One (at least that we were able to notice), but her logo showed up on more than one occasion.
The Wondy logo is first scene in the form of a sticker, stamped on the side of Art3mis’ bike. Towards the end of the movie, it’s a patch on Aech’s real world jacket.
Batman got the best of both worlds. In addition to his cameo early on in the film, a Batman sticker is stamped onto Wade’s Oasis headset.
Lex Luthor Quote
When Art3mis and Parzival are proving to one another that their knowledge of Halliday’s life is genuine, the topic of his favorite movie quote comes up.
Of course, that quote is from 1978’s Superman movie, delivered by Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor.
“Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it’s a simple adventure story. Others can ready the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe.”
Were you able to catch all of these Easter Eggs and cameos in Ready Player One? Did you see any that we missed? Let us know in the comments!
Ready Player One is currently playing in theaters.
