Warning: This article contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The third MCU Spider-Man solo movie, Spider-Man: No Way Home, is a love letter to the entire franchise and it's packed with Easter eggs and Marvel references. There's a sense in which Spider-Man: No Way Home is an origin story, because it ends with Peter Parker finally becoming a version of Spider-Man a little more true to the comics - a solo operator with a secret identity, one whose personal life is seriously screwed up by his superhero persona.
But Spider-Man: No Way Home is also a love letter to the entire Spider-Man franchise. It features the return of Hawkeye, there are a number of direct references between the two.
Attentive viewers will pick up numerous Easter eggs and Marvel references in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Some are obvious, some are subtle, and the detail to some of the sets is particularly remarkable. Here are all the Spider-Man and Marvel Easter eggs in the movie.
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A Subtle Nod To Rogers: The Musical
The opening scene of Spider-Man: No Way Home picks up straight after Hawkeye episode 1.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Features Repeated Nods To Steve Ditko
The MCU has frequently paid homage to the late, great Stan Lee - but Spider-Man: No Way Home is full of references to his co-creator, the legendary artist Steve Ditko. The "Public Enemy #1" sign shows a traditional Ditko image, one he repeatedly used to display Peter Parker's secret identity. Meanwhile, there are at least two instances of "Ditko" graffiti in the film - on the roof of Midtown High and a FEAST truck.
The Return of Delmar's Deli
Delmar (played by Hemky Madera) has been a recurring background character in the MCU's Spider-Man trilogy. He doesn't actually appear in Spider-Man: No Way Home, but there's still a subtle reference to him - because when Peter and MJ clamber out of a sewer, they're in front of Delmar's Bodega, clearly rebuilt after it was destroyed in Spider-Man: Homecoming. According to a promotional copy of the Daily Bugle published ahead of Spider-Man: No Way Home, his business is doing pretty well.
The Department of Damage Control Return In Spider-Man: No Way Home
The Department of Damage Control are called in to confront Spider-Man. In the comics, Damage Control is an organization dedicated to helping clear up after superhero battles. The MCU's version of Damage Control was introduced in Spider-Man: Homecoming, which revealed it was founded by Tony Stark in the aftermath of The Avengers. They appear to have now been fully absorbed into the U.S. government, and they cause serious problems for Peter Parker now his secret identity is public knowledge.
Nick Fury Has Been Off-Planet - For Quite Some Time
As far as Peter Parker's concerned, he's spent the last few weeks working alongside Nick Fury and Maria Hill, unaware that, as Secret Invasion, in which Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury will return.
The MCU's Matt Murdock Makes His Big-Screen Debut
Marvel Studios may not care much about the continuity established in the old Marvel Television shows, but they clearly recognize some of the superb casting. Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Charlie Cox reprise the role of Matt Murdock, who he previously played in the Marvel Netflix Daredevil show. He's actually the second Daredevil actor to make their way into the mainstream MCU, with Vincent D'Onofrio appearing in Hawkeye. It's too soon to say whether the Marvel Netflix shows are canon - Marvel Studios may well have done a soft reboot - but certainly this version of Matt has superpowers.
MJ's Real Name Confirmed In Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man: No Way Home reveals MJ really is the MCU's version of Mary Jane Watson - because apparently her full name is "Michelle Jones-Watson," although she's dropped the Watson, presumably because her parents divorced. In the comics, Mary Jane's father Philip verbally abused MJ and her mother Gayle, and the family broke up after he began to move on to physical violence.
Aunt May's FEAST Job In Spider-Man: No Way Home
Spider-Man: Far From Home revealed Aunt May volunteered with charities such as the Salvation Army. She's heavily involved with a group called FEAST in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and her volunteering there becomes a major plot point when Norman Osborn turns up at the shelter. In the comics, FEAST's soup kitchen was actually set up by a crime lord named Mr. Negative, and May Parker stumbled into the thick of his plans. FEAST's profile has increased significantly after the Spider-Man PS4 game, and especially the Spider-Man: Miles Morales game, which had Miles volunteer there as well. It's not the only Miles Morales connection in Spider-Man: No Way Home, however.
The Return of Iron Man's Dum-E
Happy Hogan puts the Parkers up at his own home - and there are, naturally, quite a few amusing Easter eggs there. The most noticeable of these is Dum-E, the hydraulic arm robot Tony Stark kept in his workshop, and it's clearly one of Happy's mementos of his former boss and good friend. Attentive viewers will also notice a Downton Abbey DVD in the apartment; Happy was seen watching the show in Iron Man 3, when he clearly related to Branson.
Happy Hogan's Old Photo Is A Callback To Iron Man 3
There's another smart Iron Man 3 callback when Happy Hogan's photo is shown on TV. He has his hair in an appalling hairstyle - and it's reminiscent of one he had in Iron Man 3's flashback sequences, suggesting the photo on TV dates from around the year 2000.
