Ryan Reynolds’ original hit Deadpool movie was filled to the brim with Easter eggs and inside-baseball references to Marvel and its creatives. Almost every scene in the fourth-wall-breaking blockbuster includes some kind of wink to the audience, whether it’s an in-joke from the comics, a nod to the confusing timelines of Fox’s X-Men franchise, or a shout-out to one of the creators who brought the Merc with a Mouth into existence. Some of these references are obvious, while others are picked up by eagle-eyed viewers on rewatches.True to its title character, the first Deadpool movie was jam-packed with pop culture references, like the post-credits scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. But the well that the writers come back to more than any other frame of reference is the history of Marvel Comics and its many different movie adaptations. Easter eggs are common in comic book movies – filmmakers fill them with hidden details and winks to the audience – but since Deadpool is aware of his own fanbase, his fellow Marvel superheroes, and his place in the pop culture landscape, these Easter eggs and references are more on-brand for him.
A Coffee Cup Homages Deadpool Co-Creator Rob Liefeld
Rob_L's_coffee_cup_in_the_Deadpool_opening_credits-1 In Deadpool’s slow-motion opening credits sequence, a blood-spattered coffee cup can be seen with “Rob L.” written on it. This is a nod to Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld, who makes a cameo appearance later in the movie at Sister Margaret’s School for Wayward Children, Weasel’s shady bar where Wade picks up mercenary gigs. Liefeld's character is even referred to as “Liefeld,” and can be seen listed on the bar’s dead pool board. But his cameo isn’t the only shout-out to a Marvel Comics writer at Sister Margaret’s. There’s also a waitress named Kelly, referring to Deadpool comic writer Joe Kelly. Wade’s Bea Arthur T-Shirt Is A Reference To His Established Fandom Wade's_Bea_Arthur_t-shirt_in_Deadpool-1
In the first flashback sequence set before he donned his iconic red super-suit, Wade Wilson is seen wearing a t-shirt bearing the image of actor Bea Arthur. In the comics, Deadpool claims to be Bea Arthur’s #1 fan and regularly watches Golden Girls reruns. Even before playing Dorothy Zbornak in The Golden Girls, Arthur had already been crowned sitcom royalty for her turn as Maude Findlay in All in the Family and its spin-off series, Maude, so it’s no wonder why Wade is a big admirer of her work. Like references to Hello Kitty and chimichangas, this costume choice pays homage to Deadpool’s well-established hobbies and interests from the comics. Feige’s Famous Pizza Is A Tribute To The President Of Marvel Studios, Kevin Feige Feige's_Famous_Pizza_box_in_Deadpool The pizza box from Wade’s fake pizza delivery, Feige’s Famous Pizza, is an homage to Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios and producer of the MCU’s output (including the upcoming Deadpool 3). It seems appropriate to include a tribute to Feige in a modern comic book film. If Feige’s work on the MCU hadn’t made superheroes all the rage in Hollywood, then a comics-accurate, R-rated Deadpool movie might have never happened.
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