Like a nice sorbet after a meaty meal, Deadpool 2 was the refresher superhero fans needed after Avengers: Infinity War. Playing off its spoof origins, the movie catered to true Deadpool fans by dropping literally hundreds of Easter Eggs. And the trick worked, because as of the time of writing this article, Deadpool 2 has already crushed the records set by Deadpool and It (both movies not intended for children).
With a budget of $110 million, Deadpool 2 earned $53.3 million on Friday, also claiming the adult-audience record for that day. These record numbers bring it in just shy of Spider-Man 3 which brought in $59 million. Normally, only the MCU pulls in numbers like this. Ryan Reynolds cracks a ton of jokes, but when it comes to the character Deadpool and the movies, he’s very serious. Investing his own time, and at one point his own money, Reynolds has a passion for Deadpool and for satisfying the die-hard fans.
I’ve always been a fan of the Deadpool comics, and his character, which makes seeing these films a double delight. I know I’ll take some heat for saying this, but except for the opening sequence, I think Deadpool 2 was better than the first Deadpool film (albeit not by much, though). The James Bond Easter Egg was perfectly executed, but I felt the text this time suffered from duplicate beats. Want to know more? Then you’ve come to the right place. Each entry contains several Easter Eggs, so don’t skip reading. It’s good for you.
If you haven’t seen Deadpool 2 yet, what are you waiting for? Go see the film.
Spoilers Ahead! No unicorns or rainbows were harmed during the penning of these events.
30 Truffle Shuffle Back To The 80s
Deadpool clearly has an infatuation with the 80s, but that’s not why he’s dropping Goonies Easter eggs in Deadpool 2. Josh Brolin (Cable) played an imperative role in the 1980s cult classic in which he’s been vocal about his love/hate relationship with the film since its release. Brolin’s role in Goonies was as Brand, Mikey’s (Sean Astin) older brother. There are two instances where Deadpool takes advantage of this, reminding Brolin of the movie that launched him into stardom.
The first takes place while Deadpool is facing off against Cable on the transport. Wade whips out his ko katana samurai blades and states, “Bring it on One-Eyed Willie.” For those too young to remember, One-Eyed Willie was the infamous captain of the pirate ship featured in Goonies. It was Willie’s map Mikey found in his parent's attic, dragging Brand on an adventure he didn’t ask for.
The second Easter egg is a little harder to catch but downright hilarious. While chilling with Al and letting his legs grow back, Deadpool is wearing the same button-down shirt Chunk (Jeff Cohen) was wearing when performing his now famous Truffle Shuffle.
This time, however, instead of showing off his belly, Wade performs the classy move used by Sharon Stone (Catherine Tramell) in the 90s flick Basic Instinct — showing off more than anyone wanted to see. Thanks, Scout Master Kevin.
29 MCU Beat Drops
The DCEU normally takes the brunt of Deadpool’s jokes, but this time around Wade seemed to have his eyes on the MCU. Having his film released two weeks after Avengers: Infinity War probably played a major role in his decision to change things up.
Wade calls Cable Thanos right off the bat, setting the stage for more beats. He also calls Cable’s arm a Winter Soldier arm. Not that Cable can take his off like Bucky.
In the Ice Box, after having his powers taken away by the neck collar, Deadpool says he feels worthless like Hawkeye with his bow and arrow. This joke landed strongly for me, as Hawkeye wasn’t even in Infinity War because he was allegedly with his family. Talk about worthless.
Nothing beats Dopinder’s nickname, though. In a drop towards the successful Black Panther film, Deadpool nicknames Dopinder the Brown Panther.
Domino is the token black female character in Deadpool 2 and has similar abilities to Black Widow from the MCU. It didn’t take Deadpool long to piece this puzzle together as he nicknames Domino Black Black Widow. It’s also a nice poke towards assigning white characters with Black in the name. Playing off the Black Widow theme, Deadpool also tries to calm Juggernaut by saying “the sun is getting real low big guy,” which is an overplayed joke line from Avengers: Age of Ultron.
28 LinkedIn X-Force Comic Origins
The first X-Force team presented in Deadpool 2 was a rag-tag bunch. Portrayed to be the next mutants to take the franchise into the future, they didn’t fight in their first battle before being eliminated. Ironically, this lines up with their comic book origins to some degree.
Bedlam (Terry Crews) first appeared in the comic Factor X #1, created by John Francis Moore and Steve Epting. While his powers seem decent enough in the movie and comics, he doesn’t do much in either. Vanisher, as mentioned earlier, was completely different in name and powers. He was first introduced in The X-Men #2 (1963)
Zeitgeist (Axel Cluney) character is very similar to his counterpart comic book version. Both spit acid as a mutant ability and both perished right off the bat. In the comics, Zeitgeist is treated like he’s a big deal but gets eliminated early on. Peter isn’t officially in the comics, but there are plenty of theories on Reddit regarding his origins — which I’ll gladly spare you of.
Shatterstar wins the award for being most like his comic book origin, in that he an alien, is from the future, and carries double-katanas. He was first introduced in New Mutants #99, while the planet, Mojoworld, (which he is from in Deadpool 2) was first shown in Longshot #1.
27 Grey And Yellow X-Force Costumes
Deadpool has worn a variety of suits during his duration in the comics, which led to Deadpool 2 paying homage to both his Grey and Yellow X-Force costumes. Wade prefers Red, as “it’s the best color to conceal blood-stains.” But Wilson doesn’t always have a choice as to what he gets to wear.
During the final act and battle scene, Deadpool walks up to Russell and hugs him as an apology for the way he acted in the Ice Box. Firefist isn’t in the mood to put up with his nonsense and blasts Deadpool with his powers at full force. Wade’s suit immediately turns from Red to Grey, paying homage to the Uncanny X-Force comic series by writer Rick Remender and artist Jerome Opeña.
Earlier in the movie, Deadpool is recruited by Colossus as an X-Men in training. A comic bit which is mentioned by the kid who gets the Ryan Reynolds autograph on his cereal box featuring Hugh Jackman's Wolverine from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. A reporter by the name Irene Merryweather also mentions Deadpool is in training, which is a nod to her run in the comic series’ Cable and Deadpool and Cable.
The Yellow jersey is a callback to when Deadpool actually served as a member of the X-Men. It was his standard costume with a Yellow stripe down the middle, but it had Deadpool written on the back much like his jersey had Trainee on its back in Deadpool 2.
26 Tribute To Superfan Bubba
Prior to the first release of Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds gave a private screening of the film to Connor McGrath. The teenage Deadpool superfan was diagnosed in July 2013 with High-Risk A.L.L., a form of leukemia. Reynolds often posted on Facebook raising awareness for cancer and of Connor’s status. “He was the first person ever to see the Deadpool film. Like Wade Wilson, Connor’s trying to put cancer in his rearview mirror.”
Connor McGrath’s cancer sadly didn’t respond to the treatments available and he passed away 2016.
Reynolds wanted to make sure the public didn’t forget about Connor or the brutal reality associated with battling cancer. To do this, he included his biggest superfan’s name in a list of potential baby names between Wade and Ness. The names they mused over included Connor, May, Todd, and Bruce.
Connor McGrath is no longer with us, but there are plenty of other heroes fighting for their lives just like Connor. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone needs a good friend. “Connor’s my friend. I know lots of celebrities jump up and down touting a cause — and maybe I’m no different. But holy frozen shizzle-slivers, I love this kid.” Don’t let Connor’s fight be forgotten.
25 Cleaning Up Timelines
If you didn’t stay for the credits in Deadpool 2, shame on you. Now go get yourself a ticket and watch it again (which I highly recommend if you’ve only seen it once). Before Solo: A Star Wars Story releases, I’ll likely be on my third round (two so far).
The credit scene was reportedly changed after early viewings of the movie provided an awkward feedback from audiences. Initially, Deadpool was supposed to travel back in time, taking out the baby with a mustache who brought about World War II. Considering Deadpool doesn’t eliminate kids, and the negative feedback from screenings, the scene was removed.
In its place, we get Deadpool still traveling back in time, but now he’s got his sights on himself. First, he goes back to X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and unloads an entire clip into his stitched up goofy looking alternate self. He then finds Ryan Reynolds after he got the job for Green Lantern and provided the same service, this time to the head. To which he then breaks the fourth wall by saying, “Your welcome Canada.
And for those Deadpool fans who were crying and distraught over Vanessa passing, have no fear. Wade Wilson also takes care of that issue by making sure his cheese spreader hit’s the mark. He also saves Peter from his untimely fate, while leaving the rest of his rag-tag X-Force crew six feet under the ground.
24 Pink Little Pony
Of all the new characters introduced in Deadpool 2, Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna) is by far my favorite. She’s first introduced to Wade as Negasonic Teenage Warhead’s girlfriend. She’s the exact opposite of both Negasonic and Deadpool, bringing a constant cheeriness and glowing smile wherever she goes.
Deadpool takes notice of this immediately and calls Yukio Pinkie Pie from the cartoon My Little Pony.
To which Yukio responds, “I like this guy.” The two would share special moments throughout the movie as they would say hi and bye to one another. Despite Yukio’s glaring positivity and Wade’s pessimism, the two instantly formed a bond.
The name Yukio is also an Easter egg, as it was the name of the girl in The Wolverine (2013) who pairs up with Wolverine. Not much else is known about Yukio, meaning there are likely big plans for her character in the future (or at least I hope so, anyway). There are rumors Yukio may be based off a character in X-Men known as Noriko Ashida, or Surge. This theory, however, hasn’t been confirmed or denied yet. Surge’s abilities allowed her to absorb and redirect electricity, like Yukio’s weapon in Deadpool 2. Yukio’s hair is also the same color as Surge’s. See you soon Pinkie Pie.
23 Comic Mashup For Firefist
Russell "Rusty" Collins, also known as Firefist since Russell is a horrible hero name, made his debut as “the kid” in Deadpool 2. Many are wondering his cinematic origins, but true comic book fans know he’s a mashup of several possible characters.
Firefist was introduced in X-Factor #1, created by Bob Layton and Jackson Guice. This Rusty, however, wasn’t anything like the Russel in Deadpool 2. In Russel’s animated counterpart, from the X-Men cartoon, we begin to see more of a resemblance, as he lived in an orphanage.
Firefist can also be compared to Johnny, a boy who showed up in the Deadpool solo series (Deadpool #58). Johnny was a mutant whose fire powers got out of control. Deadpool shows up on the scene with Weapon X and manages to talk the boy down. That is until Garrison Kane ended up taking Johnny out.
Most notably of all these references is the one based on Evan Sagahnur (Genesis). In the comics, Deadpool joins up with an incarnation of the X-Force whose job is to take out a reincarnation of the villain Apocalypse. The only set-back is that this reincarnation is still a kid. Fantomex takes the kid out and Deadpool states that eliminating children is over the line and wrong.
22 In Your Eyes
Oh Colossus, nothing can resist the temptation known as Deadpool. The relationship between Wade Wilson and the giant Steele Russian X-Men character is unique. Colossus believes Wade can become a better person, always trying to recruit him into joining the X-Men. Deadpool goes too far for Colossus’ liking when he takes out Head Orderly Frye (Nikolai Witschl). Wade ends up getting arrested and Colossus returns to the X-Mansion to mope the future loss of his friend.
Deadpool ends up escaping the Ice Box and realizes he needs to patch things up with Colossus because he needs his help. In true 80s style, Wade rolls up and starts blaring In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel from his cell phone. In a callback to the movie Say Anything, the image on the phone is an 80s boombox.
Colossus pretends to not hear Wade or the music, rolling over on his bed just like Diane Court (Ione Skye) does in the film Say Anything. Diane doesn’t get back together with Lloyd, and neither does Colossus come running back to Deadpool, yet. Colossus eventually gets over his funk and joins Wade to take on Juggernaut in the final battle of Deadpool 2.
21 The Mystery Behind Laird
Much to most fans surprise, the pilot of the helicopter flying the first X-Force team into battle is not named Laird. Deadpool as assembled a rag-tag group of mutants from LinkedIn to free Russell while being transported out of the Ice Box. Wade gives a stirring military style speech while Peter begins to have second thoughts. Deadpool tells Peter to toughen up, followed by the statement of “Laird, hit it!”
According to IMDB, the pilot is simply listed as such and is played by actor Abiola Uthman. So, if he’s not talking to the pilot, whose Deadpool referring to? The answer lies within an inside joke on set during the filming of Deadpool 2.
As shown in one of the films trailer spots, Deadpool is attempting to get into costume while standing in a phone booth, much like Superman would. He takes too long, and, in the process, an innocent old man gets taken out. At the very end of this clip, Wade mentions Laird for the first time.
The reason why all this is hilarious is that Laird is Ryan Reynolds costume department hand whose job is to help him in and out of his suit. Since the phone booth scene was cut from the final film, the team decided to include the Laird reference aboard the chopper instead.
20 Cat’s And Tailor Swift
Ryan Reynolds fans will know there’s a special kind of friendship between him and Tailor Swift. You know, the kind when Tailor invites Reynolds and his daughter James to have an audio cameo on her album Reputation. That’s right, the baby featured on the track Gorgeous is none other than James.
To return the favor in his own special way, Ryan Reynolds had an original t-shirt made featuring Tailor’s own babies — her cats Olivia and Meredith.
Wade Wilson’s body has miraculously healed in three days, and we see him trolling around the X-Mansion. Trying to avoid Colossus and his blah-blahing about joining up with the X-Men, we see Wade wearing the Tailor Swift cat shirt while taking a joy ride in Professor X’s wheelchair.
The interesting part regarding this whole bit is that the t-shirt doesn’t belong to Deadpool. Arriving at the X-Mansion in a few hundred pieces, he didn’t bring a change of clothes. This means the shirt likely belongs to either Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, or Yukio.
It could’ve also been borrowed from one of the X-Men who was seen having a meeting in another room behind Wade. The cameo went by in a blink of an eye, but by our account — Beast, Quicksilver, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Professor X all had a cameo in Deadpool 2. My money is on Negasonic Teenage Warhead.
19 Black Tom
Black Tom Cassidy (Jack Kesy) was a throwback character from the early days of the X-Force in the comics. He served as the punchline for more than a few jokes in Deadpool 2, but the best reference likely got missed by everyone except true Deadpool fans.
Introduced in X-Men #99 (Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum), Black Tom Cassidy is a mutant with wood blasting powers and the brother of Banshee. We first meet him in Deadpool 2 in the Ice Box looking for a fight. Tom, ironically, fought Deadpool several times in the comics and was partnered up with Juggernaut.
During the Ice Box fight scene with Cable and Deadpool, Cable fires off a shot which takes out Black Tom whose stuck in his cell. The shot hit Tom because Wade moved the gun. What makes this Easter Egg hilarious is that Cable in the comics almost took Cassidy out while mowing people down with his big guns. The only reason Tom survived in the comics was that Deadpool saved his life. Only Wade Wilson would go out of his way to save somebody in one timeline, while accidentally disposing of them in another. I bet Black Tom Cassidy wishes he’d remained in the comics.
18 Batman Complex
Deadpool tends to obsess over other superheroes from other franchises, with Batman and Spidey being at the top of his list. Disney and Marvel must have shut-down the possibility of Deadpool making fun of Spider-Man, leaving DC with a giant bullseye on their forehead.
The first Easter Egg appears when Wade comes home late for their anniversary. He excuses his tardiness due to a costumed guy who picked a fight with him. Vanessa isn’t buying his story, so Wilson also adds in that “once they both found out their mothers were named Martha, they stopped.”
Deadpool is comparing himself to Batman, from the film Batman v Superman, as it’s been said he has dreams of being the Caped Crusader.
His obvious beat up appearance means Superman must have put a beat-down on him. The second happens quickly and in the middle of an action-packed sequence. Deadpool lands a big hit on Cable, tossing out the iconic line “I’m Batman,” with a celebratory pose. The beat only lasts for a moment, but that doesn’t make it any less priceless. I would’ve loved to see Wade put on a Cutie dress, but I’ll settle for the Batman beats. Maybe, just maybe, Deadpool’s dreams (and mine) will come true one day.
17 Vanisher A-List Cameo
Deadpool 2 had a much larger budget than the first film. There are a few scenes where we see that money in play, one of those falling on another A-list actor cameo. Vanisher was one of the applicants for the first X-Force LinkedIn team. Deadpool can’t make up his mind whether Vanisher is invisible or simply running late. Acting on his usual impulses, Wade hires him. We later see Vanisher strapped in on the helicopter, allowing fans to wonder if this would be a running gag through the whole film. The very next beat shuts those fears down, as Vanisher crashes into a set of power wires.
Unable to control his parachute, due to the high-wind advisory, Brad Pitt is revealed while being fried into the afterlife.
Incidentally, Brad Pitt was in line for the role of Cable, but he couldn’t make it work due to scheduling conflicts.
In the comics, Vanisher’s name is Telford Porter. He was first introduced in The X-Men #2 (1963). His powers don’t include invisibility, however, as he is a teleporter. At one point he was a villain, but never a member of X-Force. Using his name is likely another case of liking how it sounds and applying it to a new character, like what the writers did with Negasonic Teenage Warhead in the first movie.
16 Stan Lee Cameo
It’s often questioned why Stan Lee is making cameos outside the MCU, but true Deadpool fans know why. Stan Lee was a part of something bigger than his art or creativity. The comics he contributed to, changed the game and landscape for everyone. Without Stan Lee, it’s unlikely the industry would be what it is today. And since Lee is often associated with anything Marvel, it’s only complimentary to throw him a cameo for the Deadpool films.
The first Deadpool featured Stan Lee as a D.J. Unknowing to Stan, the club he was being featured in was ... well, not appropriate for kids. Lee jokingly claimed he was “mad,” at the Deadpool team for doing that to him, as he was filmed in a studio.
In Deadpool 2, Stan Lee doesn’t make an official appearance. This could be related to his recent personal struggles and health, or it could be he was actually mad. Lee is recognized twice in Deadpool 2. The first time he’s shown in a painting in the X-Mansion, and a second time in a graffiti mural.
Hopefully, Stan will be feeling more himself and we’ll get to see more of him in a possible X-Force film.
15 Oy Gevalt Yentl. It’s Mishegas Up In Here
Don’t get the joke in the title. It’s alright, you’d need a degree in Yiddish slang to understand that Oy Gevalt is for when something is shocking, Mishegas is for crazy, and Yentl is a musical starring Barbra Streisand about a Jewish girl transforming herself into a boy.
Deadpool certainly has a thing for Streisand (or the plot of the film), as he references it throughout of all Deadpool 2. We first get a glimpse of the musical while Wade and Vanessa are turning up the heat in the bedroom. Yeah, it’s playing on their flat-screen as complementary means towards foreplay.
After Vanessa meets her end, Wade sings a line from the musical four separate times. “Papa can you hear me.” Likely, he’s calling out to Ness in his own complex and unique way. Although, it’s one of those quotes which can be interpreted a hundred different ways for those with their minds in the gutter.
To complete your Yiddish training for the day — Yentl was released in 1983, starring Barbra Streisand as the lead character. It was based on the play by Leah Napolin and Isaac Bashevis Singer, which itself is based on Singer's short story Yentl the Yeshiva Boy.
14 Deep Cuts
Much like Ready Player One, Deadpool 2 is chalked full of random Easter Eggs being dropped from one beat to the next. Being the dork, I am, I’ve compiled a mini list of my favorites.
While serving his time in the Ice Box, Deadpool says to himself, “I wonder what gang I’ll end up being in.” (while doing the famous hands over the mouth pose). He then asks, “is there a sorting hat?” Leaving me to ask you (yes you), what Harry Potter house would you sort Deadpool into?
Deadpool is rambling on about how the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is X-rated material. The joke here is that the film stars Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds wife.
Deadpool loves giving everyone nicknames. At one point he calls Negasonic Eleven, comparing her to the off-natured Eleven in the Netflix Original series Stranger Things.
Cables time traveling watch had a cool Terminator feel to it, but it’s his gun which takes the cake. On the dial, the numbers go from 1 to 11. This is a callback to the movie This Is Spinal Tap (1984). In the film, the band recalibrates their amps to get more volume. Since 11 is higher than 10, the logic was that it would make them louder.
13 Hope With A Side Of Anne
Deadpool comic book fans have had mixed feelings regarding how much of Cable’s backstory was told in Deadpool 2. The controversy stems from a teddy bear and the name of Cable’s daughter, Hope. In the future, Cable’s wife and daughter Hope are taken out by Firefist. His daughter was holding her favorite bear at the time, which Cable keeps strapped to his hip (along with his military grade Fanny Pack)
A less notable Easter Egg drops through the audio, as the melody from the song Tomorrow plays. This somewhat annoying tune is from the classic musical Anne (1977). The song plays twice, once during Hope’s passing (suggesting the song was playing at the time) and before Cable loads a round into Deadpool.
In the comics, Hope Summers was Cable’s adopted daughter. She’s also viewed as a potential messiah figure in the future. Hope, even as an infant, would travel with Cable through time. As she grows up, Hope becomes an Omega-level mutant. She has the ability to mimic other people’s powers and control psychic energy.
At this point, it’s still wishful thinking that the Hope in Deadpool 2 is Hope Summers from the comics. Although, things are looking bright for die-hard Deadpool fans.
12 Ripping On X-Men
It wouldn’t be a Deadpool movie without Wade Wilson throwing the X-Men franchise under the bus. His number one target? Wolverine, of course. The film opens with a music box Wade has made. It’s shaped to look exactly like the end scene from Logan, with Wolverine being impaled by a tree stump. While turning the box on, Wilson comments on how Logan wouldn’t have been given an R-rating if it wasn’t for the first Deadpool movie. Wade also reveals he’ll be perishing too, and he plans on one-upping Wolverine’s passing on.
In a throwback joke to X-Men: Apocalypse, Deadpool repeatedly spouts off about Pigeonwings. He’s referring to the X-Men Angel and how having wings is stupid power, especially since so many X-Men can fly without them.
During Deadpool’s rant, while running away from Colossus in the X-Mansion, there’s a quick beat showing the current X-Men film roster. The moment includes Beast (Nicholas Hoult) quietly closes the door before Deadpool can notice. This includes Xavier (James McAvoy), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Quicksilver (Evan Peters), and Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee).
While playing with the Cerebro headgear, Wade says it smells like Patrick Stewart, who was the actor cast as the original Charles Xavier. Deadpool also throws a jab at Colossus when his monologue at the orphanage calls back to the Steele Russian’s ramblings about doing the right thing from the first Deadpool movie.
11 David Leitch Cameo
If you’re wondering who David Leitch is, he’s the director of Deadpool 2. Having him take over after Tim Miller directed the first Deadpool movie was somewhat of a hot topic, leading many to question whether Deadpool 2 would be a successful as the first. Playing off the haters who have been trashing him over the last year, Leitch made sure his cameo involved an unfortunate passing as a prisoner on the transport truck from the Ice Box.
Deadpool is trying to catch up to Domino and the prison transport truck, but Cable beats him to it. In an effort to slow Wade down, Cable starts releasing transports and hurling them towards Deadpool. The first cargo prison box Cable detaches is that of David Leitch’s character. Whether he survives the crash is unknown, but it can be assumed he didn’t.
Of all the ways to go, Leitch had it the easiest in comparison to the other cameo passing’s. He is the director, after all, and should get prime pickings when determining how his random character heads into the afterlife. Being used by Cable is a cool way to go, and much better than being fried or having a head being lopped off.