The DC Extended Universe’s latest film, Aquaman, makes no qualms about wearing its heart – and its references – on its sleeve. From the classic orange-and-green costume to the elements of Geoff Johns’ New 52, there’s plenty for longtime comic book fans to appreciate.
However, for all the obvious Easter eggs this film packs, there are several that may have passed you by. With that in mind, here are eight Easter eggs you might have missed in Aquaman:
Annabelle
Director James Wan cut his teeth in the horror genre, and with the Conjuring franchise still going strong, it makes sense that he’d want to pay homage to his roots in Aquaman. During the scene in which Arthur and Mera fetch the latter’s ship from a storage container, you can clearly see a disturbing-looking porcelain doll among the rotting fish. That doll, of course, is Annabelle, who debuted in The Conjuring and was the focal point of the spinoff films Annabelle and Annabelle: Creation.
Leigh Whannell
Speaking of James Wan’s horror roots, we’d be remiss if we didn’t also mention Leigh Whannell, who was an integral part of creating the Saw and Insidious franchises alongside Wan. Whannell may not have had a hand in the production of Aquaman, but he does get a cameo appearance as the pilot who flies Arthur and Mera to the Sahara desert.
Stingray
When Atlanna is acclimating herself to Thomas Curry’s lighthouse, she’s frightened by the TV set and destroys it with her quindent. Before she impales it, though, you can see that the program on the TV is the 1960s series Stingray. While the show itself isn’t a direct nod to Aquaman, it featured the underwater exploits of the crew of a submarine called the Stingray, which is reason enough for viewers to draw comparisons to Arthur Curry.
The Dunwich Horror
Another Easter egg found in Thomas’ lighthouse is a copy of H.P. Lovecraft’s short story The Dunwich Horror, which is resting on the coffee table while Thomas and Atlanna sip tea. Lovecraft, of course, is known for creating the monster Cthulhu, which bears a striking resemblance to Aquaman’s Karathen. However, the connection is deeper than that, as The Dunwich Horror’s central character Wilbur Whateley is also half-human, much like Arthur.
Man of Steel
The DCEU kicked off in 2013 with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, and much like James Wan, Aquaman is a film that doesn’t forget its roots. When Orm is explaining the atrocities of the surface world to Arthur, one of the images show is an exploding oil rig. If it looks familiar, that’s because it’s the same oil rig from Man of Steel, whose crew was saved by a pre-Superman Kal-El.
Topo the Octopus
Even the most hardcore Aquaman fans would be hard-pressed to deny the character has a somewhat silly history. And let’s face it, what comic book character doesn’t? Nevertheless, the notion of a superhero having an octopus sidekick is a lot for modern moviegoers to swallow, but Aquaman still gives Topo a brief shout-out during the Ring of Fire sequence. Just before the battle commences, we see a massive octopus banging on the drums, and that smooth cephalopod is none other than Topo.
Coast City
The DCEU has yet to introduce a proper modern-day Green Lantern into its film universe. Sure, we saw a Green Lantern in Justice League, but that was merely a flashback. During Aquaman’s mid-credits scene, though, we get our first possible nod to arguably the most famous Lantern of all: Hal Jordan. When Black Manta awakens in Dr. Stephen Shin’s lab, we see a number of newspaper clippings on the wall, and one of those clippings just so happens to come from Coast City, aka the hometown of Hal Jordan.
Dinosaur Island?
After escaping the Trench, Arthur and Mera find themselves in a very Journey to the Center of the Earth-esque setting, complete with dinosaurs. Of course, this very well may be a Jules Verne nod, but it’s more likely a nod to Dinosaur Island – the DC Universe’s equivalent to Marvel’s Savage Land, where prehistoric creatures roam freely.