However, there are also several easy-to-miss references to past movies in the more recent entries of the MCU, some of which are blink-and-you-miss-it moments that are hard to find even on repeated watches. However, there is always an eagle-eyed fan who spots something that everyone else misses.

Updated January 30, 2023 by Jerrad Wyche: Each passing year sees numerous movies and television shows build on the lore and canon of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Characters from different backgrounds and perspectives over opportunities for audiences worldwide to connect and relate to the superpowered stories that unfold. Marvel Studios focuses on fleshing out a world that feels interconnected and living. A strong way they accomplish this is by including details in their projects that either hint at future projects, or piece together narrative elements. The latest Marvel projects have continued in this tradition.

14 Beta Ray Bill Exists

Despite the Hulk serving as the greatest gladiator champion the Grandmaster has ever seen, that whole situation had existed long before the giant green Avenger. Eventually, Thor got involved. In one of the panning shots showcasing the alien planet of Sakarr, audiences are treated to what appears to be a tower showcasing the faces of previous champions on the Grandmaster’s tower during Thor: Ragnarok.

To the bottom left of Hulk’s head is what appears to be a horse in a helmet. This isn’t just any horse, but an alien species known as Korbinite. The Korbinite in question is a man by the name of Beta Ray Bill, who holds many of the same and equal powers as Thor. Fans are hoping that this statue means that the lovable oddball will eventually show up in the MCU in some capacity.

13 Wolverine Might Be Wandering Around

In one of the episodes of She-Hulk on Disney+, Jen Walters can be seen looking through websites in search of new job opportunities. Among the sidebar text featured on one of these sites is a headline that reads “Man fights with metal claws in bar brawl.”

This could very well be a meta-commentary on how fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are looking for any clue that leads to the introduction of the X-Men, but it might be more than that. Sprinkling in these weird sightings and interactions could set up a world in which mutants have always existed, but for one reason or another have hidden from the wider masses.

12 Kang Once Ruled Egypt

Throughout the history of Marvel Comics, the villain known as Kang has been revealed to be the true identity behind some of history’s greatest and most well-known rulers. In the third episode of Disney+’s Moon Knight, fans were teased with Kang actually being present during the history of the MCU. During a rooftop fight with some thugs, one of these guys can be seen with a jean jacket.

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On the back is a spray-painted image of a pharaoh. Not only is this pharaoh painted in the iconic green and purple associated with Kang, but it’s of Pharaoh Rama-Tut, an Egyptian figure and identity Kang the Conqueror served as.

11 Stane Tower

The MCU is home to some incredible villains, who are both well-acted and written. However, others serve as the idiotic buffoons that help round out superhero stories. One such buffoon was a man named Obediah Stane, who served as the main antagonist of the first Iron Man film. He was desperate and jealous of Tony Stark, feelings that led to him trying to kill the man known as Iron Man and take over the company that Tony’s father created.

A bell tower plaque in the opening scenes of the Hawkeye Disney+ series shows that it is called Stane Tower. Stane’s pettiness was so strong that he likely saw Stark Tower at the heart of New York City’s skyline and wanted a tower of his own.

10 The Fake Infinity Gauntlet

In Thor: Ragnarok, Hela claims that the Infinity Gauntlet in Asgard is a fake before casually throwing it off of its pedestal. While this is played off for laughs, as the gauntlet loaded with all six Infinity Stones is quite clearly a fake, this is actually a meta-reference to the early films.

The gauntlet shown in the film is the original prop, which was made in error as a right-handed gauntlet rather than a left-handed one.

9 Black Panther vs The Rhino

Black Panther has many great action sequences, most notably the multiple challenges for the throne atop the waterfall. One scene that stands out for being somewhat ridiculous is the scene where T’Challa takes down a rhino, which is almost frame-for-frame ripped from the comic pages of one of Black Panther’s first stories, “Panther’s Rage.”

The entire fight sequence is one big call back to this comic story, though the rhino fight stands out as one of the most accurate.

8 New Asgard

Following the destruction of Asgard in Thor: Ragnarok, Thor is forced to find a new home for the handful of Asgardians left alive after Hela’s assault on their home. They settle down on Earth shortly after. In Avengers: Endgame, New Asgard is shown to be located in Tønsberg, Norway, though the significance of this location is less apparent at first glance.

Fans of Thor: Ragnarok will recognize this as the place where Odin claimed to be his home shortly before dying. However, it is also where Red Skull and Hydra finally found the Tesseract, the Infinity Stone that was most prominently used to give both Scarlet Witch and Captain Marvel their powers.

7 Harley Keener’s Return

Although many people won’t recognize this character by name, he is best known for his role in Iron Man 3 as the boy who helps Tony out when his house is destroyed and he is on the run from Cillian’s men.

Many characters from Tony’s past returned for his funeral at the end of Avengers: Endgame. One character hiding among the crowd that many people missed was Harley, who came back to bid Tony a final farewell following his death.

6 Howard The Duck

The lesser-known Marvel character Howard the Duck most notably appeared in the end credits scene of Guardians of the Galaxy, where he appeared alongside Cosmo as a part of The Collectors collection of creatures. This isn’t Howard’s only appearance in the MCU, however. He returned not only for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, but also in Avengers: Endgame.

Howard the Duck appears behind The Wasp in the final battle scene after Wong and Doctor Strange open up portals to all the different characters. Although it isn’t known how useful a talking duck would be during this final battle, Howard was at least present.

5 The Howling Commandos

Kenneth Choi, the actor who plays Jim Morita, one of the Howling Commandos in Captain America: The First Avenger, returned years later to play Principal Morita in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Although his name heavily suggests that he was descended from Jim Morita, it wasn’t until Far From Home that his theory was confirmed. The principal casually mentions that he keeps a photo of the Howling Commandos as a memento of his family.

4 Dr. Donald Blake

In older Thor comics, the Asgardian god hid his identity from the rest of the world under the name Dr. Donald Blake in much the same way as many other heroes of the past kept their identities a secret. Although the majority of the MCU heroes don’t keep their identities secret anymore, Thor’s old alter ego was at least mentioned in passing during his first movie.

After being given a fake I.D. by Jane, who claimed that it belonged to her ex-boyfriend who was “good with patients, bad with relationships,” it is later shown to be none other than Donald Blake. S.H.I.E.L.D. quickly sees through the fake I.D. and learns Thor’s true identity.

3 The Little Red Button

A very niche reference to a non-Marvel film comes during the climax of Captain America: The First Avenger as Peggy and Steve chase down Red Skull’s plane. Just before the plane is able to outrun the car, Chester Philips, played by Tommy Lee Jones, presses the little red button to give the vehicle the boost it needs to catch up.

This button is also in Men in Black, which Tommy Lee Jones also stars in as the older mentor character and serves a similar purpose as in Captain America: The First Avenger.

2 Nick Fury And Pulp Fiction

After Nick Fury fakes his death in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the audience is shown his headstone which reads “The path of the righteous man…”

This is a reference to Samuel L. Jackson’s role in Pulp Fiction as Jules Winnfield, where he quotes the same line from the Bible to a man he is interrogating. The contents of the quote also fit with the story of The Winter Soldier quite nicely.

1 The X-Men Jet

Although the X-Men aren’t yet a part of the MCU, that doesn’t mean there haven’t been references to them throughout the years. While Scarlet Witch is the most obvious, there was another reference much earlier in Iron Man, where Tony is trying to outdo various jets in terms of altitude performance while testing the flight capabilities of his prototype suit.

One of the jets shown in the testing process is the Blackbird, a real-world jet that is also the same one used by the X-Men that they are somehow able to hide underneath a school.

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