Summary
When it comes to animated films, nothing beats theDisneyandPixarclassics we all know and love. These animation powerhouses also have certain traditions that you’ll observe in every movie. Art doesn’t exist in isolation, and Pixar movies are rife with IP references and cryptic nods to old and upcoming and movies.
This tradition started as early as 1987 with the animation studio’s short film Red’s Dream. Since then, many have noticed certain references in movies that only make sense when these movies are released. Aside from Easter eggs pertaining to future movies, some recurring references are related to the studio’s staff and past as well (like the well-known A113). Most of these Easter eggs are hard to notice at first glance, since they are present as part of the background or as unimportant objects.
7Monsters, Inc.
Hinting At Finding Nemo Back In 2001
This movie didn’t just feature Pixar’s iconic Sully and Mike Wazowksi, but also plenty of references to Finding Nemo, which released next. The easiest to miss is the figurine of Nemo that hangs in the room when Mike and Sully throw Randall over into one of the doors.
When Mike is on a date with Celia at Harryhausen’s, you can see a clownfish on the mural behind the chef. The most noticeable reference is at the end, when Sully takes Boo home and there is a clownfish with a striking resemblance to Nemo among her toys, along with a Jessie action figure that hinted at Toy Story 2.
6Finding Nemo
Establishing The Incredibles Lore In Advance
This movie about everyone’s favorite clownfish contained many Easter eggs. When Nemo tries to escape the aquarium at the dentist’s, we see a young boy reading a story from the Mr. Incredible comic book series. The story features him in his blue suit, from his solo days as one ofthe strongest heroeson Earth.
During these scenes, you also see a reference to the Toy Story series. When Nemo finds himself in the fish tank at the dentist’s office, you can see a very noticeable Buzz Lightyear action figure beside the toy box in the waiting room with his iconic plane from the first movie.
5Cars 2
Just The Family From Brave Casually Documented As Cars
While viewers didn’tfind any Easter eggsin the first installment of the Cars series, Cars 2 featured a few. When we see the Radiator Springs drive-in theater, the marquee says “The Incredimobiles”. There’s even a “Gastows” in the movie’s version of Paris, a clear reference to Ratatouille.
Another noticeable reference is a tapestry at the Ye Left Turn inn in London. At first glance, it might not be very apparent, but the characters are the DunBroch family from Brave as anthropomorphic cars. It features Merida, her parents, and also the adorable yet chaotic triplets.
4Wall-E
Wall-E And Up Seemingly Share The Same Universe
Wall-E lives surrounded by all the little oddities he has collected over the years, among which we see the makeshift walking stick with tennis balls used by Carl Fredricksen from Up. In the frame where Wall-E sits down to watch Hey Dolly!, we see the stick lying upside down in the background.
The movie also featured a reference to Ratatouille, although this one is easier to miss. When Wall-E goes about his day as usual at the junkyard, you briefly see Skinner’s scooter lying among the trash. It is easy to miss since it blends in with the background, but it is right beside Wall-E.
3Up
Lotso From Toy Story 3 Finally Found A Home
Arguably one of Pixar’s most heartwarming movies, Up contains only a few prominent references to the Toy Story series. The first reference is hidden in something that has actually become associated with Up itself: the Grape Soda bottlecap that Ellie pins onto Carl’s blazer. When examined closely, these are the same soda cans that appear in an ad in Toy Story.
Watch the background closely when Carl’s house flies past the little girl’s room — tucked away in the corner is none other than the villainous Lots-o’-Huggin’ bear from Toy Story 3. You can see it in the background beside the girl’s bed.
2Luca
Luca Has The Same Taste In Music As Mei From Turning Red
Since 1998, nearly every Pixar movie has included a subtle or obvious reference to a future movie, and this magical movie about humans turning into sea monsters is no exception. The reference to Turning Red, which was released next, takes a careful viewer to notice.
When Luca is in Giulia’s bedroom, there’s a record label called “4 Villagi”, a reference to Meilin’s favorite band, 4 Town, because the logo has the same artistic style. There are also some Disney references in Luca, since we see a Donald Duck toy in Giulia’s bedroom as well as Pinocchio in Luca’s dream sequence. Believe it or not, there’s a Pizza Planet outlet in this version of Italy.
1Turning Red
Lightyear’s Famous On Earth
Acoming-of-agePixar movie that tackles complex subject matter revolving around the life of a preteen girl may have tons of material to cover, yet they still managed to squeeze in an Easter egg or two despite it all. For keen observers, Turning Red showcases all kinds of random hints from characters in other movies to bands that exist in another movie’s universe.
Mei’s best friend Miriam has a skateboard with a sticker of Sox the robot cat, a character from 2023’s Lightyear. Aside from that, we also see Meilin’s crush Carter rocking a t-shirt featuring Encapsula, the punk rock band that performs at the Battle of The Bands in Coco.
