20. Underground Railroad
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Marvel has done it again and made a magical superhero film, Black Panther, and filled with “Easter Eggs” as fans and creators like to call them. Snippets of information hidden within the films as breadcrumbs of sorts.
Let’s start this list of Easter eggs with a huge one–the last fight scene with T’Challa and Killmonger. The fight scene took place in a literal underground railroad, and the fight was due to tensions over opposing viewpoints–sound familiar?
19. Killmongers Mask
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Killmongers mask was also a nod to the comic fans, as it has strong connections with past Black Panther references. The first reference is the design for the demon Mephisto in Christopher Priest’s well-known run on the Black Panther comic.
The second spot you’ll recognize the design is the mask Erik wore in his battle with T’Challa beginning in Black Panther #37.
18. Lion King References
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Many fans noticed there were a ton of references to Disney’s, The Lion King. As you can see here, there are a few undeniable connections.
17. Back To The Future Shoes
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If you didn’t notice, the shoes Shuri created for T’Challa are self-lacing. Oh yeah–and they’re a total reference to the movie Back To The Future Part II. How cool are these shoes?!
16. Shuri’s Vine Joke
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The young inventor Shuri, played by Letitia Wright, gives her brother a hard time about his shoes and drops a Vine joke while doing so. She haggles him about his sandals, pointing and asking, “what are thossssseeee?”. The reference is from a famous Vine turned Meme.
15. Gold Necklace
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This gold necklace is a tribute to the original one worn by Black Panther in the comic, as the design is almost exactly the same. Although the King wears a silver necklace, it’s eventually worn by Erik, who reps it in this picture.
14. Everett Ross
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Although many Marvel fans know Everett Ross from Civil War, the fact that he made his way into the Black Panther storyline was a bit of a surprise. When he takes a bullet for Nakia, Shur mentions he’s “another white boy” for her to fix. The first white boy she was referring to was Bucky Barnes.
13. Klaue’s Arm Cannon
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Finally, we see Klaue’s arm cannon make an appearance. Fans have been waiting to see when his arm cannon would come into action, and the fact that it did in BP, brings us even closer to an explanation of the sonic cannon in the comic books.
12. T’Chaka
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Young T’Chaka was actually played by the son of John Kani, who played the original T’Chaka. Which totally explains their similarities. Love when that happens!
11. Stan Lee’s Cameo
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Marvel legend Stan Lee made his cameo appearance as a thirsty gambler, and although the role was small, it was a nod to his previous Marvel performances. It only makes sense considering this is his 5th cameo for MCU.
10. The Waterfall Death
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The movie adaption had to have a waterfall death scene like the comics, but it didn’t go the same as one might have thought. Sure, Erik beats T’Challa and throws his body into the waterfall, but instead of perishing like in the comic, he survives. The scene was meant to honor the original run-in with Panther and Erik.
9. Moonlight’s Cameo
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Black Panther created a much-needed opportunity for black actors and actresses, and Marvel Studios wanted to do the same for directors. Ryan Coogler led the way in directing the film, and gave praise to well known Barry Jenkins, giving the director a cameo of sorts. The small boy that gets the last line in the movie, Alex R. Hibbert, just starred in Jenkin’s Moonlight.
8. Oakland
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The beginning scenes start out in Oakland, rather than the technologically advances Wakanda. However, this isn’t just a random place, it’s a nod to Coogler. It’s his hometown and yes, it was intentional.
7. Public Enemy Connection
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Coogler made use of the historical Black Panther connection, and although the Public Enemy connection isn’t overt, it’s there. N’Jobu’s apartment just so happens to be sporting a PE poster, you just have to take a closer look.
6. White Wolf
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In the credit scene, fans see James Bucky Barnes, alive. The last time we saw him was when he was put into a deep freeze in Captain America: Civil War. His appearance isn’t just shocking, but he’s also called “White Wolf” pushing fans to think further about what that means. After all, that’s the name of T’Challa’s most trusted soldier.
5. Wardrobe Hints
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In the casino scene in Korea fans may have noticed particular wardrobe choices. The red and green was meant to symbolize Pan-African flag colors. You’ll also notice no one else is wearing either color, making the women stand out, even when they’re meant to blend in.
4. Wakanda Culture
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The costume design specialist for BP, Ruth Carter and Marvel Studios Senior Visual Development Artist Anthony Francisco, had a specific nation in mind when developing the cultural aspects of Wakanda. They wanted the culture to be inspired by other African nations, while still maintaining adaptations from being an uncolonized nation, giving the overall feeling a bit of leeway. Francisco’s own Filipino hertiage can also be seen.
3. Princess Leia Throwback
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A Princess Leia nod was added in the way Shuri wears her hair in one scene. The importance of this scene and the hairstyle is that this is the first time she is introduced. The hair is not the only thing they have in common either, they’re also both Disney Princesses.
2. James Bond Influence
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Coogler also stated that James Bond had a heavy influence on the film. Specifically, Skyfall, which can be noticed in the casino scene. The setting itself is familiar, as well as the classic CIA buddy duo.
1. Color-Coded Credits
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The hidden information is riddled throughout the film, even down to the credits. The cast’s credits are color-coded to match the tribe they were associated with in Wakanda.