Theevery Ready Player One Easter Egg and Cameo from movies to video games, but with Warner Bros. opening the proverbial gates to any and all cameos and references to DC films, TV shows, comics, and animation, the film doesn't disappoint. Not only are Superman and Batman key figures in the story, but ed by cameos fans won't want to miss.
The supervillains of the DC Universe get to in on Ready Player One's fun just as often as the Justice League, so audiences won't have to choose a favorite. Whether it's the Man of Steel, the Dark Knight, the Princess of the Amazons, or the Fastest Man Alive, the geek love for DC's icons is alive and well in the movie's future. So with one last SPOILER warning, let's get started on breaking each Easter Egg down.
RELATED: How Ready Player One Got The Rights For All Those Easter Eggs
18. Climb Everest With (Michael Keaton's?) Batman
The movie wastes no time embracing the historic popularity of DC's characters, proposing that Oasis s would want to spend time with superheroes regardless of context. Why make your dream of climbing Mt. Everest come true if just as easily one can "climb Mt. Everest... with Batman." The scene depicted alongside the first namedrop of a Justice League member may demonstrate exactly why, showing Batman's climbing partner dangling dangerously below him, ed only by the grip of the Dark Knight.
The first appearance is more clever than it appears, since younger viewers may not make the link between Batman and his effortless ability to climb a sheer surface. While that gag was a regular one on the Batman '66 TV series - showing Batman and Robin "walking up" the side of a building - the actual Batman shown isn't a match for Adam West. True to the 1980s nostalgia of the film, the Batman appears to be wearing the black and yellow-insignia-ed suit of Michael Keaton's portrayal (not the only Tim Burton nod in the movie, either).
17. The Flash Cameo
The sheer volume of possible cameos is made instantly clear when Wade's narration of the opening sequence swoops from isolated recreation or vacation planet to the first 'entrance' point. As s stream into the Oasis, viewers realize how James Halliday designed the Avatar system to make dreams come true. As Wade explains, people stay in the Oasis "because of all the things they can be. Tall, beautiful, scary, a different sex, a different species, live action, cartoon-- it's all your call."
Superheroes rise to the top of that fantasy list for obvious reasons, but keep your eyes peeled on one as they slide into, then out of the left side of the camera's view. Their regular appearance is replaced by the red and yellow bodysuit of The Flash just as they disappear from sight - perhaps an inside joke about the speedster's ability. It's a memorable look, but it's probably better off not thinking too deeply about how a person could use Flash's powers in a shared virtual world.
16. The '66 Batmobile Easter Egg
It's not exactly fair that Batman should get mentioned in the opening sequence AND follow it up with a race challenge featuring some of the most iconic fictional vehicles. After all, signature vehicles are kind of Batman's thing. For every iconic or less-than-memorable version of Batman there is a Batmobile to match. As much as fans of the 1980s would love to see Tim Burton's Batmobile blast the competition away with its jet engine, it's the '66 version of the car that can be seen in the race's starting grid.
Considering how fresh the loss of Adam West is for Batfans, the extra love shown to George Barris' invention makes sense (and the paint job and bubble windshields make it impossible to miss). But the size of the driver's cowl - particularly the volume of its ears - and the rubber-looking shoulders and cape suggest it is, once again, a version close to Keaton's. It's possible that Spielberg's effects team stopped short of placing West into the film out of respect. Either that, or the figured that Batmobile's Emergency Tire Inflators, Bat-tering Ram, and Bat-Beam were made for a race this crazy.
15. Sorrento's Evil Superman Avatar
Over the course of the movie corporate antagonist Nolan Sorrento makes a few efforts at seeming cool, geeky, or in any way 'hip' to the entire idea of fun and fantasy that shaped the Oasis. And there is nothing that sums up the idea of an over-aged, out of touch businessman trying to seem 'with it' than his choice of Avatar. From the sheer size and bulk of the Avatar, right down to the clean-shaven jaw and iconic curl of hair, there's no mistaking it: Nolan Sorrento chose Superman himself as his idea of a hero.
He loses points for imagination right from the start, and even more for not using any special powers. But then, he may actually earn some back by ditching what makes Superman so iconic, dressing him in a dark, generic suit of body armor. The design may fall closer to Shrek's human form than Henry Cavill's, but some inspiration from artist Alex Ross' version of the Man of Steel is visible in the hair and facial features. The point is, Nolan's attempt at being an 'evil Superman' just makes the Injustice version even better by comparison.
14. Wonder Woman Logo on Art3mis' Bike
The skill and speed with which Art3mis runs Halliday's unwinnable race means audiences don't actually get much time to examine her vehicle of choice. The design is torn right out of Akira, but the decorations she's made show that the popularity of Wonder Woman doesn't slip as we move into the future. Try to catch a good look at her motorcycle, and you can spot an obvious Wonder Woman logo located on the front right fairing, alongside the insignia of The Greatest American Hero.
The logo used isn't the modern version, since the nostalgia demands an older one. Still, the yellow 'W' surrounded by the band of blue and stars introduced in the late 1980s is just as easy to spot. And to think some at DC felt that introducing so many elements into Wonder Woman's imagery was a mistake at the time. The best part? It's not the only nod to Diana in the movie, either.
13. ACE Chemicals
The version of New York City may be referred to as "Liberty Island" in the film (a nod to the Grand Theft Auto video game series), but the most well-known fictionalized version of The Big Apple is, without question, the Gotham City of DC's Universe. The connection was obviously intended from the start, but the filmmakers take things a step further - to make sure that Easter Egg hunters in the audience would also jump out of their seats. Specifically, after Wade has prevented Art3mis from being caught by Kong... directly in front of the ACE Chemicals factory.
Famous for being the birthplace of The Joker, Joker helped 'create' Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad. In Ready Player One the company's logo can be seen for a split second behind Art3mis, painted on a brick building set back from the racetrack. In the middle of the day, it's not anywhere near as ominous. In fact, it's mainly a tease of both those criminals' coming cameos.
12. Lex Luthor's Superman Movie Quotes
When Parzival finally gets the chance to spend some time with Art3mis while Aech rebuilds her bike, he relies on his knowledge of Halliday to prove he's a true Gunter. The best example he can give? By reciting Halliday's favorite movie quote, which Art3mis helps complete: "Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it's a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe. A line from Lex Luthor delivered in Superman (1978), the first modern blockbuster to make audiences believe in the impossibility of superheroes.
There's a bit more to this reference viewers should know in order to appreciate it. On a literal level, the line resonates with the plot of Ready Player One quite well: the key to solving Halliday's challenge is to look through a grand adventure or idea to the core, and see the grand meaning in small details of his life. In the film the line is delivered by Gene Hackman to his less intellectual peers, showing Halliday may have empathized with Luthor. The scene also makes a joke on the meaning and delivery of "voilà" which is picked up by I-R0k later.
11. The Arkham Knight Cameo
Not every cameo tied to DC's Universe comes from the movies or TV shows. In the end, the video game adaptations of the Batman universe - specifically those dreamed up by the developers of Batman: Arkham Asylum at Rocksteady Studios - prove just as popular. The popularity of a game series from the 200s alongside classic gaming are controversial, but considering how big a splash the Arkham designs made on the geek community, it's understandable. And as far as 'painfully cool' designs taken to the extreme go, the poster boy is undoubtedly the Arkham Knight himself.
The villain of the third Rocksteady Arkham game made a splash with his perversion of Batman's cowl and body armor when he made his debut. If you never played the games, just take a look at the Halliday Journals patron exiting the building just as Parzival enters after losing the first race. And credit to the animators: the Arkham Knight's scanning of Parzival is pitch-perfect for the character.
10. Christopher Reeve Superman Reference
Parzival isn't ready for the instant fame he receives for being "first to the key," but gets a crash course when a mob of fans surrounds him upon his return to the Halliday Journals. He's saved by Art3mis (in costume as Mortal Kombat's Goro) who explains that from here on out, his research may need to be conducted in disguise. Luckily, she has just the item he needs: Clark Kent Glasses. Able to instantly change the appearance of Parzival into an unassuming, mild-mannered reporter (without altering his appearance choices underneath).
While that name is a broad one, and a clever play on the idea that Superman has only ever needed a pair of spectacles to hide his superhuman frame, the homage is clearer. From the hairstyle to the suit, right down to the exact same frames, Spielberg gets Parzival as close to Christopher Reeve's rendition of Clark Kent as possible.
9. Injustice Supergirl Cameo
Beetlejuice is obviously the person who makes themselves known when Parzival enters the Halliday Journals, but he's not the only recognizable face. Lara Croft returns, as do several other Avatars seen earlier and later in the film (the Arkham Knight, for instance, returns to the front of the crowd when Parzival broadcasts his speech later on).
But as soon as Beetlejuice announces Parzival's presence, quickly look to the blonde woman jumping up from the nearest table. If the cape, tights, and red boots and gloves don't give it away, the 'S' on her chest should. Supergirl's presence adds another dose of DC Comics lore to the movie, albeit in a subtler fashion than others. For clarity, this is actually a perfect replica of the Supergirl introduced as part of the Injustice comic series and fighting games. She's not the only Injustice cameo coming, either.
