Here’s Every Easter Egg in ‘Deadpool 2’

If it weren’t for Ready Player One, we would be able to say that Deadpool 2 features the most Easter eggs of any movie in 2018. The silver medal isn’t bad when compared to the competition though, and Deadpool 2 delivers an astounding number of references and inside jokes during its runtime. So we’re back to round up every name-drop and background gag you might have missed throughout the movie. If you’re curious about everything that was happening in Deadpool 2 that you might have missed, then this is your comprehensive list of every Easter egg in it.

Warning: These Easter eggs are from across the entirety of Deadpool 2, so if you don’t want the plot or jokes ruined, then look no further.

Comics Creators

Southbound on Gerry Duggan Parkway

Writer Gerry Duggan just concluded his 7-year run on the main Deadpool series at Marvel Comics. He’s one of the most influential creators in the character’s history and gets a shout out when X-Force is preparing to drop from their helicopter.

Gail is Calling

Gail Simone is another very influential Deadpool writer who was name-dropped when Deadpool is contacting a Yakuza boss at the start of the film and claims to be speaking with Gail.

A Hack Artist Who Can’t Draw Feet

Deadpool makes a joke about “a hack artist who can’t draw feet”, cracking wise at his co-creator Rob Liefeld. The artist’s superhero creations have been criticized in the past for poor anatomy, but we love his dynamic style and characters, including Cable and Domino as well.

Comic Book References

Pryor’s Treats

During X-Force’s first mission you can spot an ice cream truck labeled as “Pryor’s Treats.” This is a reference to Cable’s mother Madelyne Pryor, a clone of Jean Grey. It’s complicated.

Hope

Cable finally says the name of his daughter toward the end of the film, identifying her as Hope. This is also the name of an important mutant in the comics who Cable protected through time and raised as a surrogate daughter.

Essex House for Mutant Rehabilitation

Essex is the last name of Nathaniel Essex, better known as Mister Sinister. It’s unsurprising to discover that this villain is behind the abusive orphanage and might even have been that terribly creepy headmaster, although we’ll never know now that he’s roadkill.

Alpha Flight

A little bit of extra Canadian pride shines through in an advertisement on Dopinder’s taxi that is calling for viewers to fly the friendly skies with Alpha Flight. We expect Sasquatch, Shaman, and the rest of this X-related team will fare better running a commercial airline than as superheroes.

Irene Merryweather

The reporter who covers Deadpool’s first outing with the X-Men from a helicopter was a major character in the Cable & Deadpool series. While she doesn’t seem to be joining the cast, comics fans still may appreciate a cameo over no appearance at all.

Death of X-Force

The brutal slaughter of almost every member of the original X-Force reflects the events of X-Force #116 in which all but two of members are killed in their depicted mission. The inclusion of Zeitgeist, X-Force’s comics leader, makes it a clear reference to this key issue.

Marvel Studios

Brown Panther

Deadpool refers to Dopinder as “Brown Panther”, a clear reference to the recent success of Black Panther at Marvel Studios.

Black Black Widow

Deadpool also jokes about Domino’s leather outfit when he refers to her as a “Black Black Widow” during her interview.

Zip It, Thanos

Josh Brolin gets a shout out for his other 2018 superhero role as Thanos when he is shushed by Deadpool.

Grumpy Old F*** With a Winter Soldier Arm

Brolin is called out again in this reference to his metal arm. Deadpool observes that metal arms are becoming a fashion trend in superhero movies, and trends tend to come in threes…

Juggernaut’s Lullaby

At one point during their fight, Deadpool tries to calm Juggernaut by telling him “the sun is getting low”, a reference to Black Widow’s lullaby for calming the Hulk in Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Give Me a Bow and Arrow

When his powers are removed and cancer is consuming his body, Deadpool jokes that he’s a bow and arrow away from being as useful as Hawkeye. A particularly brutal joke after the sharp sighted Avenger was left out of the most recent movie.

Other Superhero Movies

Young X-Men

Deadpool jokes at the X-Mansion that they can’t afford any of the good X-Men only to have doors closed by several recognizable heroes from the current team franchise, including Beast and Professor X.

Bullet Slice

When Deadpool slices a bullet from Cable in half, it’s a reference to one of his first action scenes in X-Men Origins: Wolverine where he does the same thing. There’s no joke being made here, just a great piece of action transplanted into a superior superhero movie.

Logan’s Music Box

The movie opens with multiple references to the success of Logan last year, including a music box that depicts Logan’s death in that film where he was impaled on a tree.

Her Name Is Martha Too

When making excuses for being late on their anniversary to Vanessa, Deadpool takes a dig at Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, saying, “I was fighting a caped badass, but then we discovered his mom is named Martha, too.”

Deadpool Origins

After the film ends, Deadpool is given Cable’s time travel device and uses it to travel back to X-Men Origins: Wolverine, killing the terrible version of Deadpool from that film and saying hi to Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.

Stopping a Mistake

Deadpool also travels back in time to kill Ryan Reynolds at the exact moment he decided to join the cast of Green Lantern, sparing both himself and us a whole lot of misery.

Even More Movies

One-Eyed Willie

Deadpool refers to Cable as “One-Eyed Willie” due to his glowing eyeball, but also referencing Josh Brolin’s film debut in The Goonies where he helps to search for the lost treasure of that same character.

All Outta Love

The song “All Outta Love” plays in a more somber moment of Deadpool 2, but it has followed Ryan Reynolds throughout his career since first appearing in Van Wilder.

Christopher Plummer Casting

The sexual abuse allegations against TJ Miller that surfaced after Deadpool 2 had been shot were referenced in the scroll on a television stating that Christopher Plummer was unable to assume his role, like he did for Kevin Spacey under similar circumstances in All The Money In The World. If there’s a Deadpool 3, we don’t expect Miller to return given this acknowledgment.

Killing the Dog in John Wick

The credits claim that Deadpool 2 was directed by “One of the guys who killed the dog in John Wick“, that feels about right given Vanessa’s fate at the start of the film.

Dickie Greenleaf

Matt Damon’s cameo appearance gives him the name “Dickie Greenleaf”, a reference to an identity he assumed in the film The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Say Anything

When Deadpool arrives at the X Mansion to win Colossus back, he plays a song from a boombox app on his phone and holds it above his head, referencing the famous romantic moment in Say Anything.

Costuming

Chunk’s Shirt

When growing his legs back, Deadpool wears an exact replica of the Hawaiian shirt worn by Chunk in The Goonies.

X-Force Uniform

At the end of Deadpool 2, an explosion leaves Deadpool’s outfit recast in black and white, resembling his uniform as a member of Uncanny X-Force in the comics.

X-Man Trainee

When Deadpool is given a yellow jersey as an X-Men trainee, the result bears a striking resemblance to his uniform during a very short stint with the X-Men in the comics.

Meredith & Olivia

During his initial visit to the X-Mansion, Deadpool wears a t-shirt featuring Taylor Swift’s two cats, Meredith and Olivia.

Behind The Scenes

Hit It, Laird

On the helicopter, Deadpool turns and says this phrase into the camera. It’s a reference to the man who helps Ryan Reynolds get into and out of the suit behind the scenes and was referenced in the first Deadpool short where the anti-hero struggles to get into costume in a phone booth.

Vanishing Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt was unable to appear in the film for long due to scheduling conflicts, but he does show up as The Vanisher for a single second as the character becomes visible when electrocuted to death.

Two Rednecks

The two rednecks Cable meets when first appearing in the present day are actually played by Matt Damon and Alan Tudyk with a whole lot of makeup.

What Does Juggernaut Say?

The Juggernaut was actually voiced by Ryan Reynolds, with some serious modulation used to deepen the effect, as the actor kept ad-libbing lines for the character while on set.

Director Overboard

Director David Leitch made a cameo as a prisoner in the convoy who Cable throws overboard while the director begs him not to. Ouch.

Miscellaneous

The Portrait of Karl Marx

Amidst the portraits of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in the X-Mansion, there’s also one of Karl Marx, the philosopher most associated with communism. It’s an atypical portrait for an American school that blends right in if you don’t recognize the man.

Prisoner 24601

The number on Russell’s prison uniform, 24601, is a reference to the character Jean Valjean in the classic musical Les Miserables. This role was notably played by Hugh Jackman in a 2012 adaptation.

Geppetto

The woodchipper that devours Zeitgeist upon his landing is labelled “Geppetto” and suggests a very grisly fate for Pinocchio as well.

Lebron James

When Deadpool smashes a brick of cocaine inside of his mask, he appears to be referencing Lebron James’ pregame ritual of throwing a cloud of chalk in the air. Whatever works.