Superman: 75 DC Easter Eggs & References Explained

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for James Gunn’s Superman

James Gunn’s Superman has finally arrived in theaters, featuring an impressive collection of Easter eggs and references. Starring David Corenswet as a brand-new Man of Steel, Superman throws audiences into an established DC Universe. As such, it’s incredibly fun to see all the fun nods to the past, as well as elements setting up an exciting future to come.

In Superman and its new DC Universe, Kal-El is already an established Metropolis hero. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) already hates Superman with a pᴀssion, and Clark Kent and Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) are in the early stages of their relationship. Keeping that in mind, here are all the Easter eggs, references, and connections we found in James Gunn’s Superman.

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Every Easter Egg and Reference In James Gunn’s Superman

Donner, Awesome Cameos, Gotham City, And More

3 Centuries of Metas – Featuring an opening crawl of text, Superman reveals that metahumans have existed in the DCU for 300 years, opening the door for older characters like Wonder Woman and the Amazons, and perhaps even the Justice Society of America during WWII.
3 Decades – The opening exposition also confirms that Superman landed on Earth as a baby three decades prior, confirming that the DCU’s new Superman is in his early thirties.
“Gods & Monsters” – The text also makes mention of “gods and monsters”, which just so happens to be the тιтle James Gunn gave this first chapter of DCU projects.
Alan Tudyk’s Latest DCU Role – Having already voiced multiple animated characters in the DCU’s Creature Commandos series, Alan Tudyk voices Superman Robot #4, later named “Gary” at his own request.
Superman Robots Are Very All-Star – Serving as caretakers within the Fortress of Solitude, the Superman Robots are very much inspired by their depiction in All-Star Superman.
Bradley Cooper Plays Jor-El – Actor Bradley Cooper plays Superman’s Kryptonian father Jor-El, who previously worked with James Gunn as the voice of Rocket Raccoon in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
Superman тιтle – The opening тιтle with the name and logo very much mirrors the opening of 1978’s Superman: The Movie by director Richard Donner.
John Williams’ Superman Theme – The motifs from John Williams’ original Superman theme are used in multiple ways, a wonderful tribute to the original 1978 movie with a superhero theme that truly can’t be beat.
Stephen Blackehart – Stephen Blackehart plays one of Lex Luthor’s henchmen named Sydney. A good friend of James Gunn’s, Blackehart has had small roles in all of Gunn’s movies (including Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad).
LuthorCorp – While Luthor’s company is typically called LexCorp in the comics, the LuthorCorp name has been confirmed to be a direct a nod to the CW series Smallville, which starred Michael Rosenbaum as a young Lex Luthor (also a friend of Gunn’s).
Ultraman – Ultraman is one of Luthor’s strongest enforcers, rivaling Superman’s power. While his true idenтιтy is different in the DCU, the Ultraman name is best known in the comics for being the name of the Evil Superman of Earth-3, leader of the Crime Syndicate.
Engineer Origins – Luthor confirms he gave the Engineer her powers by infusing her bloodstream with nanites. This mirrors her comics origins with The Authority, though Luthor was not originally involved.
Planetwatch – Offering Ultraman and The Engineer’s services to the government along with his Raptor soldiers, Lex Luthor proposes a new team known as Planetwatch. This may be a nod to the real-life branch of the U.S. Armed Forces known as Space Force.
Gen. Rick Flag Sr. – Rick Flag Sr. is among the U.S. officials to whom Luthor makes his pitch, having made his DCU debut in Creature Commandos. Flag will also have a role in Peacemaker season 2.
Luthor’s “Workaround” – Confirming he has a workaround to Earth’s low supply of kryptonite, this is a reference to Rex Mason’s Metamorpho and his ability to create any element, shown later on once Superman is captured.
Cronkite – Clark refers to Lois Lane as “Cronkite”, a reference to the great Walter Cronkite, who was widely seen as one of the most trusted American broadcast journalists in history.
Boravia – A country in league with Lex Luthor, the fictional country originates from DC Comics, a small European country that once saw Superman similarly interfering in their civil war, motivating peaceful negotiations.
Jarhanpur – Another small monarchy from the comics, the Jarhanpur scene on the page was a “Living Land” which once rejected its own ruler, Rama Khan.
Lois Lane’s History With Stagg Industries – During her interview with Clark, a framed newspaper written by Lois can be seen in the background, one referencing “Stagg Informants”. A major tech company in the comics, Stagg Industries has a presence in the DCU and is behind the creation of Metamorpho (at least on the page).
Superman’s Global Interference – Lois questioning Superman over his interference between Boravia and Jarhanpur is a classic comics debate about how involved Superman should be in geopolitical affairs, a debate Superman recently had with his own son Jonathan Kent in the comics not too long ago.
Superman Underground Superman – Mirroring Donner’s Superman, Kal-El is shown tunneling underground before bursting out of the sidewalk after getting stepped on by a mᴀssive kaiju, mirroring when Superman drilled down into the street to get to Lex Luthor in the original 1978 movie.
Jitters – One of many billboards and ads during the kaiju fight in downtown Metropolis, Jitters is a known coffee chain in the DC Universe, best known for being a frequented location in the CW’s Flash series.
Big Belly Burger – Big Belly Burger is a popular fast food chain from the comics, and was also quite popular in the CW Arrowverse.
Zesti Cola – An incredibly popular soda in the comics, and a favorite of Dick Grayson’s Nightwing.
Soder Cola – Soder Cola is a direct compeтιтor to Zesti in DC Comics, not unlike Coke and Pepsi.
Superman’s Lower Voice – Compared to his voice as Clark, Kal-El puts on a somewhat deeper voice as Superman when speaking to the public, a classic trait that certainly brings Christopher Reeve’s Superman to mind.
GBS – GBS is a major news network from the comics, which stands for Galaxy Broadcasting System.
LordTech – Another major tech company from the comics, LordTech is run by Sean Gunn’s Maxwell Lord, who also serves as the founder and financier of the Justice Gang.
Eyeball – Hawkgirl going for the kaiju’s eyeball definitely brings to mind Harley Quinn stabbing and diving into Starro’s giant eye in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.
Chocos – The DC Comics equivalent to Oreos, Chocos are Martian Manhunter’s favorite snack on the page.
“Just a Working Name” – It’s confirmed that “Justice Gang” is just a working name thought of by Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern, suggesting that the Gang could one day become the DCU’s Justice League.
A Kryptonian Conqueror – The full message from Jor-El and Lara encouraging their son to rule Earth and repopulate the world with Human-Kryptonian hybrids is a surprise twist, though one that has been seen before in original Elseworlds comics, Smallville, and most recently in the animated series My Adventures with Superman.
“New Frontier” Part of the full Kryptonian message refers to a “New Frontier”. Notably, New Frontier was a limited DC Comics series that James Gunn once had in a social media post shortly after he was announced as the new head of DC Studios, leading many to speculate about the series being potential source material for the new DCU at large.
Green Lantern Cops – Guy makes a quick reference to the Green Lantern Corps, the intergalactic space force tasked with guarding worlds using their rings and the green light of willpower. Guy is one of a few humans recruited into their ranks, including Hal Jordan and John Stewart who will make their DCU debuts in the upcoming Lanterns series.
“Don’t Call Me Chief!” – Daily Planet Editor-in-Chief hates it when Jimmy Olsen calls him chief, a classic dynamic seen from the comics and various pieces of Superman media from the past.
Lex Controlling The President – Having made deals and secret plans with the president of Boravia, Lex manipulating politics to his own ends feels like just a step ahead of eventually becoming the President of the United States himself, which he briefly was in the comics.
Peacemaker Cameo – After the public begins questioning Superman, John Cena’s Peacemaker makes a hilarious cameo where he’s interviewed about the new Superman developments, claiming that the Man of Steel thinks he’s better than everyone else.
Dimensional Imp – While talking with Lois, Superman is unconcerned with a Dimensional Imp the Justice Gang is fighting (they’ve apparently got it covered). It’s worth noting that 5th Dimensional Imps are a thing in the comics, with notable beings including Mister Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite (the latter of whom is technically already DCU canon thanks to Peacemaker).
Foster Situation – Superman confirms he’s only fostering Krypto the Super Dog, alluding to his cousin Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl, who actually owns the super pup.
Bakerline – Lois confirms she’s from Bakerline, a known Metropolis borough in the comics. However, on the page, Bakerline was known for being the home of Jimmy Olsen.
Clark’s Punk Rock – Clark likes to think he’s punk rock due to his love of the Mighty Crabjoys and Teddybears, while Lois argues with the opinion that they’re more pop punk.
Kryptonian vs Martian – Referring to Kal-El as a Martian, Luthor believes the difference is negligible that Superman is a Kryptonian. It seems as though he’s yet to meet the green-skinned Martian Manhunter, or any other DC Martians for that matter.
Element Man/Metamorpho – Referred to as both Metamorpho and The Element Man, Superman confirms Rex Manson’s dual names from the comics.
Monkey Bot S*** Posters – Lex Luthor’s army of monkey drones trained to constantly drive negativity toward Superman on social media feels incredibly meta, particularly when it comes to the more vocal and toxic areas of the DC fandom regarding this new era for the Man of Steel.
Baby Joey – Also captured by Luthor, Baby Joey also comes from the original comics, the son of Rex Mason, who can transmutate the nuclear properties of other objects, rather than his own body like his father.
Eve Tessmacher – Eve Tessmacher is Lex Luthor’s current girlfriend, following a string of exes he imprisoned once they displeased him. Just like in past Superman movies, Eve ends up betraying Lex, helping the heroes expose Luthor for his crimes.
The Metropolis Meteors – The city’s premier MLB baseball team in the DCU, The Metropolis Meteors are also the city’s main team in the comics.
Hall of Justice – The Justice Gang is shown operating out of the Hall of Justice, further supporting the idea that they’ll one day become the Justice League.
Hypno Glᴀsses – An old idea that’s rarely talked about in modern DC comics, Guy Gardner confirms that Superman’s glᴀsses subtly hypnotize people to forget what his face fully looks like, preventing the connection that he’s Superman.
Max Lord’s Portrait – A portrait of Max Lord standing with the Justice Gang can be seen in the background, cementing his status as their founder/financier.
Lantern Vows – Guy references his vows as a Green Lantern (without specifying what the classic oath actually is to Lois and his fellow heroes).
Justice Society Mural – A mural is also featured inside the Hall of Justice, which looks to be of the original Justice Society of America.
Mister Handsome – Driving the floating platform in Luthor’s pocket universe, Mister Handsome looks to be a genetic creature created by Lex, looking nothing like Mr. Handsome of the comics (an enemy of Catwoman).
Kryptonite Shortage – The world’s Kryptonite shortage is referenced a second time, making one wonder what might have happened seeing how Kryptonite is typically not hard to obtain by someone with Luthor’s resources.
Mister Terrific’s White Lenses – Using his T-Spheres to locate Superman in the pocket universe, Terrific’s eyes go white with lenses incorporated into his black mask, proving something similar could be done with Batman’s mask when he eventually debuts in the DCU.
Kryptonite Poisoning – A known affliction in the comics caused by prolonged exposure, Kryptonite poisoning indeed causes unconsciousness and discoloring of the skin. It can also cause harmful effects in humans with enough exposure.
Smallville Giants – The Smallville Giants are the high school football team in the comics that Clark Kent played for. A pendant flag can be seen in Clark’s old room at the Kent Farm.
The Mighty Crabjoys – A poster for The Mighty Crabjoys is hanging in Clark’s room as well.
Luthoria – Luthor’s deal to receive half of Jarhanpur and rename it to “Luthoria” is revealed. This is not unlike Luthor’s classic plans in Donner’s Superman and in Superman Returns where Luthor sought to create his own domain from which to rule, whether it was buying up large portions of desert to then raise its value after destroying California or creating brand-new land mᴀsses using Kryptonian crystals.
Hawkgirl’s Gold Orb – A gold orb can be seen in Hawkgirl’s room when she’s watching television. This could be Nth metal, a powerfully strong resource from the planet Thanagar, used in the comics to create Kendra Saunders’ mace and wings.
Rex’s Wife – Metamorpho is seen watching television next to a blonde woman who’s likely his wife from the comics, Sapphire Stagg (Joey’s mother).
Gotham City – As citizens evacuate Metropolis, a highway sign can be seen leading to Gotham City, suggesting that Batman’s city is rather close to Superman’s, as it’s often depicted in the comics and past DC projects.
Metropolis Splits In Half – Thanks to the mᴀssive rift created by Luthor’s unstable pocket universe, Metropolis starts to be split in half. This is not unlike in older Superman comics where similar mᴀssive destruction has occurred, though it humorously brings to mind The LEGO Batman movies as well, when Gotham was also split in half.
Breath Holding for an Hour – It’s confirmed by Lex’s technicians that Superman can typically hold his breath for an hour. In the comics, the Man of Steel can actually hold his breath for much longer, capable of deep-space travel with the ability to hold his breath for days on end if needed.
“Brain Beats Brawn!” – While it’s a classic sentiment held by Lex Luthor in the comics, Luthor’s premature declaration of victory near the end of Superman definitely feels evocative of Gene Hackman’s Luthor from the Donner movies.
Ultraman’s Real Idenтιтy – Ultraman is revealed to be a clone of Superman created by Lex Luthor, not unlike the New 52 era’s Bizarro in the comics (Subject B-0).
Will Reeve Cameo – Christopher Reeve’s son Will Reeve makes a cameo as a reporter, mirroring his real-life job as a correspondent with ABC News.
Jake Tapper – CNN Anchor Jake Tapper also has an appearance in Superman as an anchor named “Jake Tapir” and was previously featured in Creature Commandos.
“Luthor Sucks” – Sean Gunn’s Max Lord finally makes an on-screen appearance, confirming to reporters that conservatives and liberals can finally all agree that “Lex Luthor sucks” after the Daily Planet exposed Luthor’s full plan.
Metahumans Make the Rules – Fearing the metahumans are now the ones in charge, Rick Flag Sr. is shown concerned while watching news footage from Metropolis, which is likely a key piece of setup for Peacemaker season 2.
Belle Reve – It’s confirmed that Luthor is set to serve his sentence in Belle Reve, the same prison run by Amanda Waller and ARGUS.
Supergirl’s Debut (As A Drunk) – Picking up Krypto, Milly Alcock’s Kara Zor-El makes her DCU debut ahead of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. Likewise, Kara being drunk after partying on red sun worlds serves as some key set-up for next year’s movie, if the Woman of Tomorrow comic is any indication.
Punkrocker – The Teddybears and Iggy Pop’s “Punkrocker” plays during Superman’s credits, calling back to Superman’s music tastes during his conversation with Lois.
The Mighty Crabjoys Theme – The Crabjoys also play during the credits.
Superman’s Credits Are A Fun Donner Tribute – Just like the opening тιтle, the credits are also styled after Donner’s Superman movies.