Sony’s newest Spider-Man film, Across the Spider-Verse, has arrived, the sequel to 2018’s Academy Award-winning Into the Spider-Verse, and it’s packed with so many callbacks, shoutouts, and Easter eggs that fans will likely spend years trying to catch them all. Standing apart and distinct from Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe — yet still counting as a tie-in — the film stands as a stylized, hyperkinetic love letter to all things Spider-Man, and we can’t get enough.

Here are eight of the biggest Easter eggs that we caught:

1. A classic voice for a classic enemy

2018’s Into the Spider-Verse featured a voice cameo from Cliff Robertson (Charly) as Uncle Ben, lifted directly from Sam Raimi’s iconic Spider-Man trilogy (2002-2007), leading some to speculate that Peter B. Parker was meant to represent Tobey Maguire’s take on the character. For Across the Spider-Verse, we get another classic cameo in the form of Alfred Molina, whose signature, “Hello, Peter,” emerges from a hologram displaying a comic book-accurate Doctor Octopus.

2. Scarlet Spider is hilariously perfect

Introduced in 1994, Ben Reilly is an (occasionally) grim and edgy duplicate of Peter Parker from an infamously convoluted storyline known as The Clone Saga. Borne of 90s publishers’ misguided belief that ‘80s classics The Killing Joke, The Dark Knight Returns, and Watchmen had succeeded due to being grim and edgy, and editorial mandates for unceasing multi-title crossovers, Ben is literally a product of his time.

At some point, Ben assumed the identity of the Scarlet Spider, whose edginess is (apparently) epitomized by tearing the sleeves of hoodies. Across the Spider-Verse’s Ben is played by Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine Nine), who monologues his way through scenes with angst and a predilection for showy poses. Samberg is no stranger to spoofing grim and gritty lone-wolf tropes, and his performance here gives Nicolas Cage’s Spider-Man Noir a run for his money in over-the-top silliness. Brilliant.

3. Childish Gambino gets his wish (kinda)

There was a time when Donald “Childish Gambino” Glover (TV’s Atlanta) was actively campaigning for the role of Miles Morales on social media, to the point that Community Season 2 cheekily opened with his character in a Spider-Man shirt. By the time Glover was cast in a Marvel movie, it was as Spider-Man: Homecoming’s Aaron Davis (played in the Spider-Verse films by Mahershala Ali) is, whose (eventual) alter ego as The Prowler never actually shown. Here, Glover appears in full live-action Prowler regalia, right before he compliments the animated Miles on his latest Spidey outfit. After all, game recognizes game.

4. The web-slinger scene is right out of the comics

Of the (reported) 280 variants that Miles runs into, one of the most unique is Web-Slinger, who’s recognizable a) for being the only cowboy Spidey, and b) for riding a masked horse (to protect his identity, naturally). First appearing in the pages of 2014’s Amazing Spider-Man vol.3, #9, Miles and Webslinger’s dialogue here plays out pretty much the way it went when the latter met Peter in the comics, but leaves out the part where he reveals his unique power: a psychic connection to his horse, which he refers to as his “Rider Sense”.

5. Video game mania

While fans were quick to spot Insomniac Games’ video game version of Spidey in Across the Universe’s trailers (identifiable by his uniform’s white spider symbol), that’s far from the film’s only shoutout to the character’s console adventures. At one point, Miles’ roommate, Ganke Lee (played by Pixar animator Peter Sohn), can be seen playing the game (on a Sony Playstation, naturally) in their dorm. For an even deeper cut, video game villain Videoman can be spotted, in all his 2D glory, presumably plotting revenge on all Spider-people.

6. Nike’s latest release gets an origin story

Miles Morales’ Spidey suit is notable for incorporating his trademark kicks, a pair of Air Jordan 1 High ‘Chicago’s, that were later made available to sneakerheads in a limited edition “Origin Story” edition. For Across the Spider-Verse, Nike released, “Next Chapter”, featuring Miles’ shoes with a (slight) multiversal makeover. In an act of marketing synergy, the film actually gives the new look an in-story origin that will make fans cheer that their shoes are actually canon.

7. The (non-)swinging sixties

While it’s mostly remembered today for its theme song (and Spider-Pig variant), the Spider-Man animated series that ran from 1967-1970 was a massive hit, despite its limited animation, campy voice acting, and simple storylines. Still, it wouldn’t be a Spider-Verse movie if it didn’t pay tribute to the OG, so 60’s carton Spidey makes the cut, and his appearance here is an absolute showstopper. If only they’d worked the theme song in, somehow.

8. Every Spidey counts

Peter B. Parker’s similarities to the Sam Raimi Spider-Man notwithstanding, Across the Spider-Verse unambiguously presents the Tobey Maguire (Seabiscuit) and Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge) Spideys as official parts of the known Spider-Verse. While the two are seen in archival clips, the current live-action Spider-Man, Tom Holland (Uncharted), isn’t actually seen but gets a (sort-of) shoutout when Oscar Isaac’s (The Last Jedi) Spider-Man 2099 makes a snide remark about, “Doctor Strange and the little nerd,” a clear reference to the events of No Way Home. We see what you did there, Spider-Verse. We see what you did there!

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