Eight ‘Iron Man 2′ Easter Eggs Everybody Else Missed

The release of "Iron Man 2" is just a couple of days away, and like everyone else, I'm pretty excited for it. Not just because the first movie was great -- which it was -- but because director Jon Favreau really seems to be making the effort to set his movie in a cohesive, big-screen version of the Marvel Universe.

We've known that since the first "Iron Man" movie, but it's become increasingly apparent with the leak of the sequel's post-credits scene (spoiled for you here if you're so inclined). Still, while what's in that sequence was pretty neat to see, it's not all that impressive when you compare it to the subtle Marvel Universe nods that were in the trailer we got months ago. And come to think of it, I haven't really seen anyone talk about them at all.

Could it be that I'm the only one who caught them? To be fair, they were quick, blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameos of some pretty obscure stuff, but it's the kind of dedication to a shared universe that needs to be lauded.

That's why today, I've isolated a few screencaps to show you The Iron Man 2 Easter Eggs Everybody Else Missed!

1. THE INFINITY GAUNTLET

Perhaps inspired by Marvel's "Illuminati" stories, there's one scene in the trailer where Tony can be seen wearing a pretty familiar golden, gem-encrusted glove. No idea how this is going to play out in the plot, but the IMDB does list Robin Williams in the cast as "Soul Gem (Voice)," so there's that.

2. STILT-MAN

Soaring over the skies of Los Angeles, there's a brief moment where Iron Man flies past Daredevil's frequent foe, rising above the city's smog to get a breath of fresh air. He's only seen for a second in the trailer, so obviously they're saving the epic fight for the big screen!

3. MOON KNIGHT'S HELICOPTER

In another nod to the movie's California setting, sharp-eyed viewers can catch Moon Knight's helicopter flying past. Clearly this is setting up Quentin Tarantino's upcoming "West Coast Avengers" picture, slated for release in 2012.

4. EGO, THE LIVING PLANET

A couple of people caught the reference to the "Johnny Blaze Stunt Show" in the scenes where Tony Stark's in a repulsor-powered F1 racer (and the flame-headed supernatural motorcyclist played by the Wu-Tang Clan's Method Man), but I was pretty surprised that everyone seemed to overlook the presence of Favreau's nod to Marvel's cosmic side, noted race fan Ego the Living Planet.

5. M.O.D.O.K.

In the scene where Tony Stark testifies before congress, a character listed on the IMDB as "Senator George Tarleton" can be spotted in the background taking a keen interest in the proceedings. Pretty sure this is setup for the inevitable "Iron Man 3."

6. SUE RICHARDS

This is one of the more obvious cameos (seriously, I'm surprised I didn't see it reported anywhere else), but the Fantastic Four's Sue Richards is in the scene with Nick Fury and Tony Stark, reading over his shoulder. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, I can't tell if she's played by Jessica Alba or if this represents a reboot of FF movie continuity.

7. THE SPIDER-MOBILE

If you look closely in one of the chase scenes, you'll see a quick shot of Peter Parker's wall-crawling dune-buggy in among the other cars before it's caught up in the explosions. Poor Spider-Man--his car gets blown up and it's not even his movie! That guy just can't catch a break.

8. GALACTUS

Uh-oh, Tony! Looks like you weren't the only one who wanted to go out for breakfast this morning!

So there you go! Eight cameos in "Iron Man 2" that nobody else seemed to notice. And when the full picture hits theaters this Friday, I'm sure there'll be more -- in fact, I've even been informed by a confidential source that in all those scenes of Tony in his workshop, he's actually fine-tuning Rocket Racer's skateboard.

Filed Under: cameos, easter eggs, EasterEggs, iron man, Iron Man 2, IronMan2

Categories: Marvel, Movies