The Flash features many easter eggs, references, and cameos across the movie’s runtime. Audiences can expect a few easter eggs in The Flash, and many of them are enjoyable to the most hardcore DC Comics fans. Fans best keep their eyes on the scene for background details and returning faces and hope their eyes are as quick as the Flash to spot some of the best easter eggs in The Flash.
It’s not quite a modern superhero movie without a bout of familiar easter eggs and cameos, and The Flash pays homage to DC’s past in a multitude of ways. Whether it’s a familiar laugh, an iconic red cape, or even a director eating a hot dog, The Flash has many easter eggs to enjoy.
This article contains spoilers for The Flash
8 Grayson’s
In Central City, Barry Allen and Bruce Wayne discuss the potential of time travel and the consequences that could occur if even the wrong blade of grass was stepped on. Yet, as great as it is to see these two characters interacting, there’s a shop in the background that may raise a few eyebrows, even if it's not related to the Flash, and more for Batman.
With a neon blue sign, there’s a shop called “GRAYSON’S” that catches the eye. Grayson is the surname of Dick Grayson, Batman’s first Robin, and the iconic Nightwing. It’s unclear if this is a reference or an easter egg to the fate of the Grayson family in the DCEU.
7 Jack Nicholson’s Joker Laugh
One of the best easter eggs in The Flash comes from an exploration of Michael Keaton’s Batman Batcave. Barry 2 finds a small little bag, once opened, a familiar and scary laugh emits from it. This laugh is none other than Jack Nicholson, who played The Joker alongside Michael Keaton’s Batman in Batman (1989).
The silk bag is the same as the one seen on Joker’s corpse in Batman, and the laughing box still works, even after all these years. It’s great to see the legacy of Michael Keaton’s Batman continue, even if other icons like the Penguin and Catwoman don’t feature in any reference.
6 Superman Returns!
There are a few Superman cameos that audiences can expect in The Flash. Audiences may not get to see Henry Cavill return as Superman, but they do get to see the back of his head once again as he stops a volcano from destroying a village. Yet, this is not the only Superman cameo in The Flash, and fans can expect other iconic portrayals of the character.
As the Flash travels through the Speed Force, audiences can see three familiar Superman faces. George Reeves, the first live-action Superman features in a black-and-white world, standing triumphantly in the iconic Superman pose. Christopher Reeve, the most iconic Superman portrayal also features alongside Helen Slater’s Supergirl. Lastly, fans can expect Nicolas Cage as Superman, fighting a giant spider, a recognition of the canceled Tim Burton film: Superman Lives.
5 Iron Heights Penitentiary
It seems that every superhero has an iconic Rogues Gallery, and the Flash is no exception. The Flash doesn’t keep his villains locked up in Arkham Asylum, but instead keeps them locked away in a place closer to home, Iron Heights. This is the prison where the Flash’s father is being kept for the alleged murder of Nora Allen.
Iron Heights is also the home to many famous supervillains from the Flash’s villain library, even if they are not featured or referenced, it’s nice to see that Iron Heights has a place in the DCEU, the prison where villains like Captain Cold reside.
4 The Flash Steals His Director’s Hot Dog
One of the more obscure easter eggs in The Flash comes in the scene where the Flash needs a snack to keep his speed up, so, he decides to steal someone’s hot dog. However, eagle-eyed fans might spot the hot dog victim as Andy Muschietti, the director of The Flash.
It’s always fun to see film directors cameo in their movies, and Andy Muschietti is not the first DC film director to feature in his movie, however, he is the first to be the victim of a superhero, as the Flash steals his snack.
3 Eric Stoltz’s Back To The Future
In another obscure reference to explain the key differences between the original Barry Allen timeline and the new one, Back to the Future is forever altered, with the actor Eric Stoltz playing Marty McFly in the trilogy, over the iconic Michael J. Fox.
For some fans, this might just be a cute nod to an iconic time travel movie, but Back to the Future’s original Marty McFly was indeed Eric Stoltz, who was later replaced by Michael J. Fox. It’s a fun reference to the behind-the-scenes workings of the famous time travel trilogy.
2 Batman Multiverse
Not only does The Flash feature the iconic Batman portrayals from Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton, but two more actors are gifted with the possibilities of the Multiverse and the Speed Force. One Batman actor features in the Speed Force, Adam West, who can be seen briefly interacting with his version of the Joker in the Batman ’66 world.
Although Adam West has a brief and respectable cameo to the Batman of old, there’s one Batman actor who gets his time in the sun after all these years. Batman & Robin’s very own George Clooney arrives at the end of The Flash to meet Barry Allen and close out the DCEU with a big surprise.
1 Aquaman’s Atlantean Treasure
In The Flash post-credits scene, Barry Allen and Arthur Curry go for a few too many drinks. It’s great to see the chemistry between the Flash and Aquaman, and in their civilian clothing, adding a more personal touch to their relationship. The DCEU version of Barry Allen and Arthur Curry has featured in a few projects together, including HBO’s Peacemaker.
Although Aquaman isn’t seen wielding a trident at all, he does gift Barry some Atlantean treasure, proving that after the events of Aquaman, he has become the king of Atlantis, and has more than enough treasure to give away for a pint of beer.
The Flash is in theaters now.