From iconic superhero films to Disney flicks to hot and heavy romance movies, your favorite directors left some hidden Easter eggs in some scenes just for you. If you're really paying attention, you won't miss these most-paused moments...
Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
In this movie, George Lucas decided to pay homage to his good friend, Steven Spielberg by including E.T. and his family as one of the many alien species to attend the galactic senate. E.T. was an iconic children's movie at the time, and if you blink, you miss this quick cameo.
Zootopia
During this cute Disney film, we get a quick glimpse of one character's iPod playlist that contained a hilarious collection of songs and artists that we all know and love, except they were slightly different from the norm. If you pause the scene, you can read the funny animal-inspired bands and song names like Fleetwood Yak, Fur Fighters, Guns’n’Rodents, and Hyena Gomez. The playlist also contains songs that were funny puns of beloved Disney tunes.
Bohemian Rhapsody
There is a cameo moment that is difficult to notice without a quick pause in 2018's Bohemian Rhapsody. In a quick-passing moment Adam Lambert, the singer, portrays the trucker with whom Mercury becomes infatuated.
Spider-Man: Homecoming
In this 2017 film, Michelle, played by actress, Zendaya, reads a book called Of Human Bondage—a book most people would not expect to see in the hands of a high schooler. The book was written in 1915 and tells the story of an orphaned boy living with his aunt and uncle... ring any bells?
Iron Man
This 2008 film launched the Marvel Movies Series franchise and was filled with Easter eggs. In the background of this scene is the shield of Captain America. This happens several times throughout various Avengers movies.
Suicide Squad
Everyone's favorite comic book bad girl, Harley Quinn, quickly became an icon in 2016's Suicide Squad. Harley Quinn, played by the beautiful Margot Robbie, was twisted and troubled, yet somehow, sweet. This scene of Harley was pause-worthy for her classic Daddy's Lil Monster top and tiny shorts.
Baby Driver
In Baby Driver, there’s a scene where Baby flips through the channels, and later on in the film, he repeats all the dialogue that appeared in the closed captions. One of the movies he mimics is Pixar's Monter's Inc.
Titanic
There's absolutely no one on planet earth that doesn't know EXACTLY what scene is the most-paused in Titanic. When this film came out in 1996, parents everywhere had to pull the ol' "hand over their kids' eyes" maneuver when Rose stripped down for Jack to "draw her like one of his French girls."
The Dark Knight
In The Dark Knight when the Joker dresses as a nurse, the name tag on his nurse uniform says “Matilda,” which is the name of Heath Ledger’s daughter in real life. Unfortunately, this was Ledger's last role before he passed away.
Sleeping With Other People
In the 2015 movie "Sleeping With Other People," Alison Brie plays the role of a girl who reunites with Jake, an old college friend she once had been very close to. In one scene, Brie dances in a bikini and Jake is sure that he's now in love with her. Can't argue with him there...
Basic Instinct
In this film, Stone plays a crime novelist who is linked to the death of a high-profile rockstar. Michael Douglas plays the investigator on the case, and she quickly seduces him into a hot and heavy relationship. This can't end well...
Finding Dory
In one scene, while Dory is trapped in an enclosure, if you look closely, you can spot a familiar enemy. There's a photo on the wall behind Dory of one of the main villains of the first film — Darla, the little girl with braces who shakes the fish in the bag.
The Graduate
This film about a young man who moves back in with his parents after college came out back in 1967. The most "pausable" scene was when Mrs. Robinson brazenly locks Benjamin in a room and strips down. This taboo film might've raised eyebrows at the time, but nowadays, it's this pause-worthy scene that gets talked about the most.
Bridesmaids
In many of Melissa McCarthy’s films and tv shows, her real-life husband, Ben Falcone, often makes appearances as someone that McCarthy degrades. In Bridesmaids he plays the man that McCarthy seduces on the plane and accuses of being an Air Marshal, which turns out to be true.
Cabin in the Woods
This film explored the common tropes of horror films. People often paused this scene so they could read the whiteboard to predict what else the cabin of horrors had in store. If you look closely, you can see all of the character's names and various classic horror movie themes.
Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark
Viewers couldn't get enough of this scene when the villain, Belloq, delivers a speech while a fly slowly crawls into his mouth. The actor really did eat this fly and he did it all without breaking character.
Passengers
The 2016 film Passengers provides some fun Easter eggs for Stanley Kubrick fans. The film's director, Morten Tyldum, is a major Kubrick fan and used the film to show it. For starters, the robot-bartender looks very similar to that of The Shining’s bartender, and the bar itself is eerily similar to that of the bar in the Overlook Hotel.
Three Men and a Baby
In this ’80s film, there’s a scene that looks like a young boy is peeking in behind the window drapes. Rumors swirled about a ghost haunting the movie set. According to the cast and crew, it was just a cardboard cutout of lead actor Ted Danson as a kid.
Deadpool 2
In Deadpool 2, the anti-hero puts together a squad of superhumans named "X Force." The Vanisher, who is your typical invisible man, is among the most talented members. The X Force leaps from an airplane and most of them die from the fall, including the Vanisher who lands in some power lines and is electrocuted. As a result, viewers get to see the real identity of the Vanisher, and it's none other than Brad Pitt. Blink and you might miss it...
She's The Man
This teen flick inspired by Shakespeare, starred Amanda Bynes pretending to be a boy to play on the men’s soccer team. When she confesses in the end, nobody believes her until she finally flashes them to prove herself. People paused this scene a lot, but ultimately all you can see is her face.
Fight Club
“Fight Club” is based on the novel of the same name by Chuck Palahniuk. David Fincher’s adaptation is filled with Easter Eggs, one of which shows Brad Pitts's character in the background before he is even introduced in the movie. The film is an adventure from start to finish with the only rule being: don't talk about Fight Club!
The Wolf of Wall Street
Though the star of the film is arguably Leonardo DiCaprio, audiences are first introduced to Margot Robbie. She plays his stylish wife, and the most-paused scene in this movie is when she seduces him and ultimately leaves him wanting more. Rule number one ladies.
The Wizard of Oz
This classic film is shrouded in controversy. In the last scene, one paused quite frequently, it was rumored that there is a munchkin hanging from a tree in the background, but the studio claims it was a large bird that got free onset. It's far more likely that this huge blot in the screen is a person.
The Simpsons
Did you ever notice that all of the characters on The Simpsons only have four fingers? Well, there is one exception. God is the only Simpsons character that has five fingers. It's one of those Easter eggs that you'd probably never figure out unless you were really paying attention.
Tron
In this '80s film, Tron filmmakers decided to throw in an easily-missed Easter Egg. There's one moment where a character is looking at an electronic map, and you can see Pac-man eating his dots. How funny is that!
The Little Mermaid
It seems like there’s always something inappropriate about a Disney film because, if the target audience is children, give the parents who have to watch as well something to laugh at. In The Little Mermaid, during the wedding scene, the priest that marries the couple is a little…well…excited. Once you see it, it's hard to miss.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High
In the iconic scene in Fast Times, one of the characters is daydreaming about Phoebe Cates climbing out of the pool in a red bikini and removing her top. If you were a teenage boy when this movie came out, it was probably on your most-paused list.
Psycho
The very last scene of Psycho is expertly done thanks to Alfred Hitchcock's directorial work. When Norman Bates is arrested, he looks right at the camera, and a human skull flashes over his face. If you pause at the right moment, the two images are superimposed in a terrifying way.
Total Recall
In this Schwarzenegger 1990 sci-fi hit, Arnold is approached by a woman offering her services to him and showing off her unique assets: three breasts. Though it's been paused far too many times, you never see more than her face in that moment.
Teen Wolf
In the original Teen Wolf, Michael J. Fox plays a high school student who discovers that he is a werewolf. In one chaotic scene at the school, there's a moment where one guy's zipper is completely down, flashing the audience for a brief moment.
Star Wars: A New Hope
This epic scene in A New Hope is a classic part that gets rewound and paused over and over again. The scene is at the start of the movie when a Stormtrooper in the background hits his head on a low-hanging door because the actors in the uniforms apparently couldn’t see well out of their helmets.
Signs
In this M. Night Shyamalan horror movie, you don't actually see the aliens until near the end of the plot. When we first see the creature, it's through a news broadcast, and viewers paused this scene to get a proper glimpse of the grisly, gangly monsters.
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Jessica Rabbit is an overly-sexualized cartoon character, and in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, there's a moment where you can glimpse up her dress. It's nothing exciting, but audiences everywhere hoped to sneak a peak underneath her iconic red skirt.
The Lion King
In the beloved Disney film, The Lion King, Simba flops down in the grass and flower petals fly away in the wind from the force. The petals, if you look closely, seem to form the word “sex" in the sky for a brief moment. Disney argues it was supposed to be “SFX” but… we’re not convinced.
Jurassic World
In Jurassic World when the pterodactyls are attacking the tourists, one man hilariously saves two margaritas before he rushes for safety — and that man is none other than Jimmy Buffet. Remember that song "Margaritaville?" It should all make sense now.
Toy Story
In the Pixar film, Toy Story, as with most Pixar movies, there’s a hidden Mickey Mouse. In this scene in Andy’s room, there’s a watch clock with Mickey Mouse on it. Other Pixar films, like Finding Nemo, have dropped Easter eggs of other classic movies.
Wild Things
Neve Campbell and Denise Richards share a steamy pool kiss in Wild Things, which would explain why this movie gets a lot of pauses. The rest of the plot is actually pretty intense, with one of the girls falsely claiming she was raped in order to ruin her guidance counselor's life.
Man of Steel
While a small Easter egg, in the scene where Superman grabs onto a satellite, you can see the Wayne Enterprise logo on it. If you remember, Bruce Wayne is the alter-ego of none other than Batman, and Wayne Enterprises is his company.
Burn After Reading
In this dark 2008 comedy with Brad Pitt and George Clooney, Clooney’s character returns home and Pitt quickly hides in his closet. Clooney runs to the closet to return his gun and is so surprised to see Pitt in there that he shoots him in the head without thinking. It happens so fast that you could miss it.
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Two apples are placed alongside a banana on Lt. Lois Einhorn’s desk, foreshadowing the reveal that she was born with male genitalia. The film follows the plot of Ace attempting to solve the mysterious case of the stolen Miami Dolphins mascot and uncovers a lot more secrets than he anticipated.
Love, Simon
Martin makes a joke at the lunch table to Abby that actually gives a clue as to the identity of Blue. He says, “Hey, what do you get when you mix black and Jewish? It’s Blue-ish.” Though both in and out of context, it's pretty insensitive.
The Departed
In the Leonardo DiCaprio film, The Departed, an “X” can always be found on the screen right before a character dies. If you rewatch this, keep track of how many times it happens and you'll realize that it's a faultless pattern.
Frozen
At Elsa’s coronation, two recognizable guests can be seen entering the palace grounds. Rapunzel and Flynn are spotted, and Rapunzel has her short hair as seen at the end of Tangled. There have been many instances of overlap within these two films, and it's likely that they exist in the same universe.
Frozen
The intro to the song “Love is an Open Door” in Frozen isn't actually an original idea. When the two sing “We finish each other’s…sandwiches!” it's actually a bit that first appeared on Arrested Development years earlier.
Fight Club
Another pausable moment in Fight Club is actually an ongoing theme throughout the whole film. David Fincher sneaks a Starbucks coffee cup in almost every scene. Whether there was some kind of brand deal or Fincher just did this for his own enjoyment, it's so easily noticeable once you know to look.
Toy Story 3
If you look closely at the garbage man’s shirt in Toy Story 3, you’ll recognize it as matching the one that the terrifying bully character, Sid, wears in the first film. Maybe they're the same character? We'll let Reddit debate that.
Back to the Future
When Marty travels back to 1955 the name of the mall changes from Twin Pines to Lone Pine Mall. They even took away one of the pine trees on the sign. This movie is full of small details between timelines that you'll only catch upon rewatching. Zemeckis left no stone unturned in creating the perfect world for Marty McFly to explore.
Iron Man 2
The little kid in the mask that Tony Stark saves in Iron Man 2 actually grows up to be Spider-Man. Tom Holland's addition to the Avengers franchise portrays him as Tony Stark's apprentice. He teaches him the ins and outs of superhero-ing and trains him to be a successful crime fighter.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
During the scene where Harry and Draco are dueling, you can see a cameraman clearly in the shot. Because the colors all blend together, it happens so fast that if you blink, you really do miss it. Unfortunately, it's the sort of mistake that can't be edited out in post.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The passage on Nick Fury’s tombstone quotes a passage from Ezekial 25:17, which is also a famous speech from Samuel L. Jackson’s other role in Pulp Fiction. Sometimes directors place these actor-specific Easter eggs in films just so die-hard fans have something to celebrate. This one was extra clever.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
In The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a popular 1980s musical film, there are actual Easter eggs hidden within certain scenes. The rumor is that the cast and crew had an actual Easter egg hunt on set and couldn’t find them all. This one made it into the film, and only the most dedicated fans have known the story behind it.
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Hieroglyphics of C-3PO and R2-D2 are snuck into the background of the scene on one of the columns. It's funny because the story was written by Star Wars creator George Lucas, and any time he works on an unrelated film, he tries to sneak in something from his own intergalactic universe.
Never Been Kissed
In the “famous couples” prom scene, a pregnant Mary and Joseph try to sit at Kirsten’s table, but she tells them there’s no room for them. That's a direct Biblical reference to there not being any room at the Inn during the birth of Jesus. A more on-the-nose Easter egg, but a fun one nonetheless.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
While this is so far unproven, there’s a theory from the silent scene with Rey and an older Luke Skywalker that a gravestone can be seen in the background. Who does it belong to? Only true Star Wars fans could possibly have any theories.
Anchorman
The Mexican restaurant that Veronica visits with her female colleagues in Anchorman has a name that translates to something pretty off-putting. Translated from Spanish to English, “Escupimos en su Alimento” means “We Spit in Your Food.”
Fast Five
This Fast and the Furious character is named Han Seoul-Oh. Does that sound familiar? Maybe like "Han Solo"? This just proves the theory that no matter what film or TV show you’re watching, you’re never too far from a Star Wars reference.
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
In this Indiana Jones film, the crew drives by this night club called "Club Obi-Wan." Another nod from George Lucas to his Star Wars franchise. The theory stands.
The Rescuers
In this 1977 film about two mice who save an orphan from her abusive caretakers, you can possibly see something in the background of this scene. If you look closely, there's an alleged naked woman in the window on the left. Disney had to throw in an Easer egg for the adults.
The Matrix Reloaded
In The Matrix Reloaded, many of the license plates are references to Biblical scripture. Smith’s plate reads IS5416 which corresponds to Isaiah 54:16, “Behold, I have created the smith, who blows the fire of coals, and produces weapons for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy.”
Harry Potter & The Prisoner of Azkaban
In the end credits of the third Harry Potter movie, the main theme of the film played around the idea of the Marauder's Map. If you look at the bottom left corner, there's a bit of suspicious foot placement going on. Whatever these two are doing, that's their business.
Beauty and the Beast
When Gaston falls to his death in Beauty and the Beast, you can see two tiny skulls on his eyes. Is this Disney foreshadowing a moment that is literally about to happen? It's creepy either way.
Jurassic Park
In the film, Ian Malcolm warns that a park of only female dinosaurs wasn’t going to work forever due to reproductive purposes, and this was foreshadowed when Alan Grant rides to the island and he is struggling with his seatbelt. He struggles because he’s trying to put two “female” ends together. In the end, he fashions his own solution, just as the plot of the movie does later on.
Cloverfield
After Beth and Rob are killed under the bridge in Central Park, along with what we can only hope is the creature that's stalking the city, there's one puzzle piece that's left unturned. The video footage they were documenting resurfaces with some jumbled audio that sounds like it's saying "It's still alive."
Man of Steel
When Zod uses his heat vision to destroy skyscrapers around Superman, you can see one pretty prominent poster in the background. "Keep Calm and Call Batman" is pretty clearly on display on one of the cubicles before it falls apart.
Terminator 2
James Cameron's theme song of choice for "Terminator 2" was "You Could Be Mine" by Guns n' Roses. Though he never stated it publicly, he did hint it at through the film. There's one moment where Schwarzennegger pulls out a gun from a box of roses.
Scanner
In this mystery-horror flick about the psychic powers of Michael Ironside, the protagonist gets angry and uses his powers to make a man’s head explode. The scene is gruesome and seriously bloody. If you pause at the right moment, you can see all the gory details.
I Am Legend
When Will Smith is in Times Square during the hunting sequence, he passes a billboard advertising a Batman and Superman team-up. Looks like lots of films like to drop in clues about their favorite caped crusadors. If you blink, you'll miss this reference.
Batman Begins
When Jim Gordon reveals to Batman that a new criminal has surfaced in the closing scenes of this movie, the Jokers calling card is shown, making it clear that he would appear in the sequel. But a closer look shows that the playing card was signed into evidence by someone called J Kerr. Short for Joe Kerr an alias the villain has adopted over the years, which means he might have been tempting Batman to bring him down for much longer.
Robocop
The plot of this film references the Bible. Even though he is half man half machine, he is the hero of a corrupt city that is killed, resurrected, and emerges as a robotic savior. He even walks on water! Sounds like a Christ figure for sure.
Boogie Nights
This final scene in the 1997 Paul Thomas Anderson movie Boogie Nights shocked audiences when Mark Wahlberg dropped his pants for a shocking reveal. Let's just say all the moms in the movie theater got what they paid for.