Captain America: Civil War Directors Reveal Their Favorite Easter Egg

These days, hardcore fans don’t just simply see a Marvel film once. If anything, they’ll visit the theater two or three times as they try to uncover each film’s hidden secrets. The obsession is understandable, especially when you consider how many easter eggs the MCU holds. The universe’s references number in the hundreds by now, and Marvel Studios’ most recent film has only added to the count. Captain America: Civil War is stuffed with easter eggs, and now, the film’s directors are saying which one is their favorite.

The Russo Brothers spoke with CinemaBlend and told the site that none of Civil War‘s easter eggs can outdo the film’s Arrested Development homage. For them, nothing can top the Bluth stair car’s starred role in the film since the allusion sits as one of their crowning achievements.

Joe said, “We love being intertextual, so obviously being able to put the Bluth stair car in the movie was a delight for us. That’s the sort of stuff we like to do, and in terms of layering the storytelling from an intertextual standpoint, because I think pop culture in general is very intertextual.”

The director went on to speak about pop culture’s interconnected nature, explaining that people “appreciate the definition and depth that you can bring to something by combining elements from other works. And I think it’s part of the fun of popular storytelling today.”

If you’re not sure why Arrested Development holds such a special place in the pair’s heart, it’s because the brothers originally directed the series’ pilot. Ron Howard tapped the Russo Brothers to helm the episode, and they were even awarded an Emmy for their work. The show went on to become a cult comedy as fans rallied behind Arrested Development, and their support even led the show to be revived in 2013 after it was canceled in 2006.

In fact, the Russo Brothers had yet another easter egg hidden away in Civil War which hints at their history with sitcoms. Having worked on Community, the directors continued a trend they started in Captain America: Winter Soldier when they casted one of the show’s alums. This time, it was Jim Rash who appeared in Civil War as a professor in need for research funds – but most fans will recognize the actor as Community‘s wacky dean.

Of course, countless other easter eggs can be found in Civil War. And, since the film is set to hit DVD next month, fans will likely find even more. From the Dora Milaje to Miriam Sharpe, Civil War catered to long-time comic book fans with its numerous references. So, really, it’s surprising to hear that many of the film’s easter eggs were thought up on the fly.

According to Anthony Russo, most of the film’s references are hard to recall because they involved little to no planning. But, unsurprisingly, the Bluth stair car was different. “We obviously had to prepare a stair car,” he said, no doubt proud of the accomplish.

And, just as the duo hoped, plenty of other fans have decided the arresting easter egg stands as their favorite as well.