There are plenty of reasons that fans enjoy Marvel Cinematic Universe movies and TV shows, from the endearing characters to the stunning action sequences. Of course, many – like myself – also relish excellent Easter eggs, and the latest MCU flick – Spider-Man: Brand New Day – serve up a few of those. A production designer for the highly praised Spidey flick recently revealed some of the finer touches he added to a scene involving Peter Parker and Bruce Banner. And I can fully admit I didn’t catch these during my screening.
Despite Mark Ruffalo pretending not to be involved, it’s well known by now that his character, Bruce Banner plays a supporting role in Brand New Day as does his monstrous alter ego, The Hulk. Before Banner and Tom Holland’s Peter come to blows, however, they have a talk about DNA manipulation after the former’s class at Empire State University. One of the designers on the film recently took to X to reference his work on that scene. The crew member, Will, pointed to some cool stickers he made for a student’s laptop:
For Bruce Banner’s lecture, I had to create some stickers for some of the student’s laptops. Not sure if you can see any in the film, but I made stickers of some Spider-Man villains and a sticker of the Ultimate Spider-Man comic logo. Even if they’re not seen, I had fun pic.twitter.com/JT6QbWg5j9August 2, 2026
As a fan of the original Ultimate Spider-Man comics, I love the fact that the designer added a sticker that referenced the series’ classic logo. Those villain-based stickers are also fun, and I’m impressed by just how many are referenced. Green Goblin, Venom, The Spot, Jack O’Lantern, Lizard, Vulture, Mysterio and Morbius. I’m not sure if there’s a shot in the movie that makes these decals completely visible, though I’m still giddy over the fact that they would even be included at all.
Such small details may just seem like fan service at first glance, but they also represent the level of love that the creative team for this 2026 movie release have for the source material. Everyone involved seems to have been heavily invested in making a strong movie about the wall-crawler, and that starts with director Destin Daniel Cretton, whose intention was to make something that felt “different” from the Home Trilogy films. So, yes, this discussion may all stem from small Easter eggs, but the point about commitment to detail still stands.
It never ceases to amaze me how the crews behind the MCU productions manage to slip in sly Easter eggs as they see fit. And, in some cases, those little nods don’t necessarily reference Marvel lore but other aspects of pop culture. For example, The Fantastic Four: First Steps seemingly references the 2003 rom-com Down With Love by way of a small nod. On a more specific Marvel note, though, there are some Easter eggs or moments that take a while to pay off but, when they do, it’s so sweet.
Easter eggs are far from the only reason Spider-Man: Brand New Day has been met with critical praise and box office glory, of course. It’s Cretton’s direction, the story, the performances and the work of the cast and crew that have arguably pushed it towards success. The film focuses on a more dour Peter, who’s “actively ignoring” advice from others and throwing himself into his work as a lone vigilante. What ultimately results is an exciting and emotional film about the power of leaning on others.
I’m also glad, though, that Cretton had such thoughtful designers to lean on amid production. Will and his colleagues deserve credit for their efforts, and I’m wondering what other little flourishes they may have added that weren’t immediately recognizable. On that note, I guess I’ll just have to see the movie again and keep my eyes peeled!
Check out Spider-Man: Brand New Day in theaters now, and stream the first three films in the franchise with a Disney+ subscription.
