Spider-Man: Far From Home has officially surpassed $1 billion at the worldwide box office, which isn’t all the surprising considering it’s one of the entertaining Marvel movies to date and arguably the best Spider-Man movie of all time, but that’s a conversation for another day. Today we’re discussing all the cleverly placed Easter eggs hidden throughout Far From Home and providing insight as to why each of these hidden gems is so important. From Ned’s hilariously-timed “Night Monkey” reference to the zombified Iron Man illusion, here are 20 every hidden detail we spotted while watching Far From Home. Enjoy!
(WARNING: FAR FROM HOME SPOILERS AHEAD)
20. Peter Parker’s Passport
During the scene when Parker hands over his passport at the airport, his date of birth read “AUG 10”, which is most certainly a reference to Amazing Fantasy #15, published on August 10, 1962, the very comic Spider-Man made his Marvel comics debut.
The cover for Amazing Fantasy #15 was originally penciled and inked by Steve Ditko, but Stan Lee wasn’t feeling it so he called in Jack Kirby to re-do the cover in the final hour and the rest is history.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures19. Raiders of the Lost Ark Nod
Even though this has nothing to do with the actual movie or Spider-Man, we couldn’t help but point out the overlooked Indiana Jones nod featured during the opening credits. Those familiar with the opening of Raiders of the Lost Ark will likely remember the Paramount Pictures logo slowly fading the mountains of Peru.
Far From Home is co-produced by Marvel Studios and Columbia Pictures, so just like the Paramount Pictures logo transitioning into the backdrop, the Columbia Pictures lady seamlessly fads into a similarly shaped statue located in a Mexican City where Nick Fury and Maria Hill meet Mysterio for the first time.
Source: Screenshot via Paramount Pictures18. Uncle Ben Reference
Uncle Ben has yet to be directly referenced in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Far From Home did sneak in a small Easter egg while Paker was packing for his European vacation. His luggage has the initials “BFP,” which stands for Benjamin Franklin Parker.
Although some might have a problem with the character’s lack of involvement thus far, Marvel Studios likely wanted to avoid repeating an origin story fans know all too well, much like the fate of Bruce Wayne’s parents. It’s also clear Marvel wanted to double down on Robert Downey Jr.‘s popularity and feature Stark in a fatherly role, which we believe was the right move.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures17. “ASM 2865” License Plate
During Spider-Man’s fight with the lava elemental, Maria Hill’s car’s license plate reads “ASM 2865”, which is most definitely a reference to Amazing Spider-Man #28, published in Septemeber of 1965.
This particular issue is known for not only Peter Parker graduating high school, but also the first appearance of Molton Man.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures16. The New York Mets
Although some might have missed it, hanging in Peter’s bedroom is a jersey of former Mets catcher Mike Piazza. This should come as no surprise seeing as Parker was born and raised in Queens, New York City, but what some might not know is that he and Uncle Ben are baseball fans and would go to Mets games together from time-to-time.
In Peter Parker: Spider-Man No. 33 (1999), Ben takes a young Peter to Shea Stadium to watch the Mets play and he loved it, becoming a life-long fan. In that very issue, Parker calls the New York Mets, “a bunch of loveable losers who hit the occasional home run by accident.”
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures15. Who is Dmitri?
The most mysterious character in Far From Home is the emotionless Dmitiri, the member of S.H.I.E.L.D Nick Fury orders to chaperones Peter’s trip and reroute them when needed. Although there was no mention of the connection, given the character’s mysterious exit, we have a strong feeling Dmitri is actually the Chameleon, also known as Dmitri Smerdyakov, one of Spider-Man’s earliest supervillains.
The popular villain made his first appearance in Amazing Spider-Man No. 1, published in March 1963. Interesting enough, Smerdyakov also happens to be the half-brother of Kraven the Hunter, which leads us to believe the two might play a part in Spider-Man 3, although nothing been confirmed as of yet.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures14. Zombie Iron Man
One of the best Easter eggs in the film occurred during one of Mysterio was attempting to confuse and terrify Spider-Man with a series of illusions. The illusion that caught our eye was the zombified Iron Man attempted to grab Spidey, an obvious reference to the Marvel Zombie series written by Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman. In the issue Ultimate Fantastic Four No. 23, an alternate dimension is discovered with a world overtaken by a zombie virus and one of those zombies happens to be Tony Stark.
Source: Screenshot via Marvel Studios13. “MTU83797” License Plate
After discovering Mysterio had been lying the whole time, Parker races to inform Fury and along the way passes a car with a license plate that clearly reads “MTU83797,” a reference to a Marvel Team-Up series that focused on Spider-Man teaming up with various Marvel heroes.
In the comic Marvel Team-Up No. 83, published back in July 1979, Spider-Man and Nick Fury team-up to defeat a villain named Boomerang, a fan-favorite and member of several prominent supervillain teams over the years.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures12. E.D.I.T.H.
The sunglasses Tony left for Parker don’t have any significance to the comics, but we’d like to once again point out that he named them E.D.I.T.H., which stands for “Even Dead I’m The Hero.”
The glasses appear to be the same pair or at least same design that they Tony wore at the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, when he, Doctor Strange, Bruce Banner, and Wong confronted the Ebony Maw and Cull Obsidian upon their arrival on Earth.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures11. “Night Monkey”
While fighting Molten Man in his new Stealth suit (which explain in more detail below), Betty Brant notices the similarities between mysterious hero and Spider-Man, prompting Ned to refute her statement, explaining that the unknown hero is actually a European knockoff version of Spider-man named “Night Monkey.” Although there has never been a Night-Monkey in the comics, later on in the film, after MJ confronts Paker about dual identity and shows him the webbed holographic device, Peter nervously tells her, “Maybe he was a Spider-Monkey?”
Back in 2008 Marvel Comics released a miniseries called Marvel Apes, a story that takes place on Earth-8101, an alternate universe that features a character named Spider-Monkey and the Ape-Vengers. Written by Karl Kesel and illustrated by Ramon Bachs, Marvel Apes was intended to be Marvel Zombies’ successor.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures10. The Stealth Suit
Spider-Man’s all-black stealth suit that Nick Fury had made for him was intended to keep his identity a secret while on vacation but it was also served as a reference to Amazing Spider-Man No. 650. In that issue, Parker creates a Stealth suit using “Omni-harmonic mesh” to help him defeat the new Hobgoblin.
Some might also recognize this all-black suit from Marvel Comics‘ Spider-Man Noir (2008), a darker and grittier take on Spider-Man character and that very same one Nicolas Cage voiced in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures9. “ASM 212” License Plate
Shortly after arriving in Venice, Italy, Betty Brant take a photo of Ned and behind his head is a boat that reads “ASM 212”, an obvious reference to Amazing Spider-Man No. 212 (1981), an issue featured that debut of Hydro-Man, a popular Spider-Man villain with the capability of taking the form of water.
Although we now know the water-based villain from Far From Home was nothing more than an illusion created by Mysterio, hearing Flash Thompson tell his fellow classmates about Hyrdo-Man’s origin was some awesome fan service.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures8. Let’s Get Ready To Rumble!!!
During the scene when Happy arrives with the giant cheque for Aunt May’s charity, a brightly-colored poster promoting a fight against Crusher Hogan can be seen, first behind Peter and later behind Happy.
Spider-Man made his first appearance in Amazing Fantasy No. 15 (1962), an issue that also featured wrestler named Crusher Hogan. For those less familiar, in that particular issue, Peter, having just got his superpowers, accepts Crusher Hogan’s three-minute challenge, easily defeats him, and wins a hundred bucks. This so significant because in Raimi’s first Spider-Man film, Paker fights and defeats a wrestler named Bone Saw McGraw, played by former WWE legend Macho Man Randy Savage. As a way of avoiding confusion with Hulk Hogan, filmmakers changed the name of from Savage’s character from Crusher Hogan to Bone Saw McGraw.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures7. “TASM143” License Plate
Shorty before Peter and MJ share their first kiss on the bridge after his battle with Mysterio and the enormous cyclone illusion, an overturned car can be seen with a license plate that reads “TASM143.” Although we can’t be certain, we’re pretty sure this is a reference to The Amazing Spider-Man No. 143, published in April 1975.
In that particular issue, Peter and MJ kiss for the first time, a romantic moment Marvel Comics had been building up to for years. After the kiss, Parker travels to Paris and takes on the villain known as Cyclone, a disgraced N.A.T.O engineer with the ability to summon high-velocity winds using his special mechanical suit. The story was written by Gerry Conway and illustrated by Ross Andru.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures6. Who Is Brad Davis?
Australian actor Remi Hii, best known for playing Jingoism in Netflix’s Marco Polo and Alistair Cheng in Crazy Rich Asians, plays Brad Davis in Far From Home, one of Peter’s fellow classmates and potential rival to MJ’s love. In the comics, Davis makes his first and only appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man No. 188, a story that features MJ going on a cruise with Davis – star quarterback at Empire State University – while she and Parker are on break.
Although Davis’ existence in the comics was shortlived, something tells us director Jon Watts has more villainous plans for Hii’s character in future installments.
Source: Screenshot via Netflix Canada5. Was That A Nova Reference?
While browsing the in-flight entertainment for something to watch during the flight to Europe, Peter scrolls past movies titled The Snap and Finding Wakanda before landing on a Nova movie, which caught out attention because Nova has been long rumored for the MCU’s Phase 4 plans. Given the success and connection to Captain Marvel, it makes a lot of sense, especially with many of the former Avengers unable to answer the call.
In the somewhat popular Ultimate Spider-Man series (2012-2017), Spider-Man is offered a chance to lead a team of up-and-coming Avengers that consists of Nova, White Tiger, Iron Fist, and Power Man. Although we doubt Marvel Studios is using the show as a reference, watching Nova and Spidey banter and compete for leadership is entertaining and might provide a glimpse into the future of the Avengers.
Source: Screenshot via Disney XD4. “463” License Plate
At the start of the film, Nick Fury and Maria Hill travel to a Mexican city in response to a mysterious disturbance that left a city in shambles. Upon their arrival, the recently returned S.H.E.I.L.D. agents walk past a license plate that read “463,” a reference to Amazing Spider-Man No. 4, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and published in fall of 1963.
The issue features the debut and origin of the Sandman, a popular Spider-Man villain also known as Flint Marko, a shapeshifter with the capability of turning himself into sand. The story is titled “Nothing Can Stop… the Sandman,” and also happens to feature the debut of Betty Brant.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures3. The Osborn Penthouse
Norman and Harry Osborn played a large role in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, but so far director Jon Watts has yet to include either of the well-known characters in either movie, but for those paying attention, near the end of Far From Home Spider-Man swings past a of building fans of Raimi’s films will remember as the Osborn Penthouse. Only time will tell whether this was Watts’ way of paying homage Raimi’s work or hinting that the Osborns will play a role in future installments of the Spider-man franchise.
The building used in the film is actually an apartment complex called “Tudor Complex,” which is located in New York City, next to the United Nations building
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures2. Spider-Man Has Been Framed
J.K. Simmons return as J. Jonah Jameson was an amazing moment, but it was quickly trumped by Mysterio branding Spider-Man as a villain, framing him for the Tower Bridge attack, and revealing his secret identity to the world.
This was definitely a reference to Mysterio framing Spidey as a thief in Amazing Spider-Man No. 13, published on June 10, 1964. In that particular issue, Mysterio tricks everyone, including Parker, into thinking Spider-Man is the one behind all the recent robberies.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures1. J.K. Simmons Returns
Twelve years after making his last appearance as head of The Daily Bugle in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, actor J.K. Simmons returns as the loud-mouthed J. Jonah Jamison in Far From Home. After years of campaigning to Sony Pictures to be recast, the actor finally got his wish during the film’s first mid-credits scene.
It was refreshing to see Jamison’s anti-Spiderman conspiracy theories reported on live-tv rather than in the newspaper like the comics and past films, a smart move by the writers to keep The Daily Bugle relevant.
Source: Screenshot via Sony Pictures