Every Disney Easter egg and reference in Oddworld
Disney movies are known for their plethora of Easter eggs, and Oddworld is no exception. The movie features all sorts of exciting Disney references and nods.
In the tradition of Disney animated films, Oddworld features various references and Easter eggs that showcase the company's long cinematic heritage. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher, a young man forced into the explorer's lifestyle by his beloved adventurer father, Jake Crade (Dennis Quaid). When Searcher finds energy in the plant-like Pando, they decide to stay in his town, prompting Jaeger to continue his expedition alone. Years later, Searcher, his wife Meridian (Gabrielle Union), and their son Ethan (Jaboukie Young-White) have to venture into their world to solve the Pando crisis, a journey that reunites them with Jaeger.
Easter eggs are common in Walt Disney Animation Studios projects. Despite not existing in a cohesive universe, the company's films feature cross-references, such as "Frozen," which included cameos from Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder, and Nick Wilde's role in "Heroes 6." A design from Zootopia that appeared in . Oddworld continues that tradition. The film pays homage to different corners of Disney's history, with references to other projects and even a revered real-life figure in the company. Strange World's Disney nod can be subtle, making it one of the studio's most challenging offerings
Two Hidden Mickeys
Oddworld adds to Disney's long history of hiding Mickey in its projects. In the film's opening sequence, Searcher encounters Pando as Searcher and Jaeger embark on the expedition that will eventually separate them. As he takes a closer look at the plant (at the 3:35 mark), the three Pando pods on the left form Mickey Mouse's head. Another Mickey in Oddworld (disappointed at the box office) appears at 32:38. Then, as Ethan is about to enter the cave, to his left, there is a blue, prickly plant made of three circular arrangements that look like Mickey's head.
Strange World Appears To Feature Baymax's Charging Station
Although illegible, Big Hero 6's Great White appears to be short-lived and hard to spot in Strange World. Finally, at 48:23, Searcher heads to Venture's lab. In the upper left corner, a piece of furniture has a red container-like structure above it. Its color and thin black lines seem to indicate that it's the charging station for Big White in Big Hero 6 (which has a Stan Lee cameo).
However, the machine's design doesn't quite fit the hero's position. The device also Never fully shown. However, Baylor's possible presence in that shot may have been backed by Oddworld co-director Qui Nguyen, who said (via Murphy's Multiverse) that the film features characters from Heroes 6:
"There are quite a few hidden Easter eggs throughout the movie. I'm not gonna name the places, because that kind of spoils the fun of finding them, but there are references and there are actual, full-on characters from 'Big Hero 6,' 'Raya and the Last Dragon,' 'Atlantis'; there are definitely Hidden Mickeys. 'Winnie the Pooh,' even. So, it's out there for you to find and to hunt for, but it's in there."
Book From Atlantis: The Lost Empire
ok Saying that, one of the biggest Easter eggs in Oddworld is a reference to Atlantis: The Lost Empire. Released in 2001, the film follows a young linguist, Milo Thatch (Michael J. Fox), who embarks on an expedition to find Atlantis with a group of explorers. The ending shot of "Oddworld" shows the movie turning into a comic book. The manga is on the table, and an old brown book can be seen in the upper right corner.
The cover is engraved with a large "A", and the title is written in the Atlantean language created for the lost empire. Translates to "Atlantis: The Lost Empire". While somewhat unexpected, the Easter egg is understandable, as the 2D animated film centers on a daring journey to a mysterious land, much like Oddworld.
Pando Batteries Are Very Similar To Monsters, Inc.'s Scream Canisters
Residents of Avalonia keep their Pando pods in the batteries that power their machines. These batteries are similar in appearance and concept to Pixar's Monsters, Inc. scream cans, Store the screams of the children who powered Monstropolis. Oddworld's batteries even charge in a somewhat similar way to those in the Monsterverse. Beyond that, conceptually, there is a deeper connection between the Pando battery and the Monsters, Inc. canister, as both devices hold a source of enormously beneficial but ultimately unsustainable energy.
Legend Is An Homage To A Disney Collaborator
Disney movies often feature lovable animal companions. In Strange World, it takes the form of Ethan's excitable dog, Legend. The character is a reference to a revered Disney character in real life. According to co-director Don Hall (via What's On Disney Plus), longtime Disney storyboard artist and director Burny Mattinson (1967's Jungle Book film Noble) has been trying to convince him Adds a dog to Oddworld.
Despite his initial hesitation, the director eventually agreed, but decided to name the dog after his nickname for Martinson, "Legend", after Martinson became a Disney Legend in the animation category in 2008. Also, Strange World's Legend is based on a breed of dog called the Bernedoodle. According to Hall (via Looper), the film's creatives coined the term "Burny-doodle" for the breed using Mattinson's name.
Strange World's Reference To Walt Disney's Movie Legacy
Oddworld has another A subtle nod to its place in Walt Disney Studios' impressive legacy, including its oldest animated film with a 100% fresh RT score. At 57:39, the Venture and its crew are attacked by a swarm of creatures. Searcher then pulls out a Pando-pod container with two stickers and a white branding. The latter is shown as "WDAS61 VEN". The term is an acronym for "Walt Disney Animation Studios 61," meaning Oddworld is the studio's 61st film. The "VEN" part appears to be an abbreviation of the ship's name "Venture".
Strange World May Have Called Back To A Tangled Line
Strange World appears to be quoting a line from the 2010 film Tangled. Directed by Byron Howard and Nathan Greynor, Disney's Tangled offers a different perspective on Rapunzel (Mandy Moore), showing her relationship with new partner Flynn Ryder (Zachary). Levi) escape the tower together and seek adventure. In the early days of Strange World, Ethan is on a speedboat looking for his father. He's impressed by the vehicle's speed, prompting him to yell, "I gotta get me one!" Rider says a similar variation of the line in Tangled while using Rapunzel's pan to fight a group of soldiers.
After easily defeating his sword-wielding opponent with the help of a kitchen utensil, Flynn exclaims, "Oh, Mom! I've got to buy me one!" It's worth noting, however, that the phrase is relatively popular in entertainment media (for example, variations of it can be found in the 1996 Independence Day movie, directed by Will Smith voice, and Batman Begins, voiced by Gary Oldman). As such, it's not necessarily a direct reference to Tangled, but rather a nod to broader pop culture.
Strange World's Credits Feature A Winnie The Pooh Character
Strange World co-director Don Hall (Big Hero 6, Raya and the Last Dragon) also co-directed the 2011 Winnie the Pooh film. The animated film stars a creature named Baxon, who Pooh and his friends mistake for kidnapping Christopher Robin. The character appears at 1 hour and 38 minutes into the film's credits. The drawing of the Baxon appears to be the same one featured in the Winnie the Pooh movies, in one sequence showing the owl explaining to his friends what a Baxon is.
Strange World's Credits Have An Easter Egg For Disney's Wish Movie
Disney routinely lays Easter eggs in its film credits for upcoming films. Oddworld is one of themes, as the adventures appear in Encanto's credits. So it's fitting that Strange World continues the tradition. the end of The film's credits feature a star image from Wish, one of Disney Animation's next films after Oddworld. Scheduled for release in 2023, the film explores the myth of Disney's wishing star. The plot centers on a young woman named Asha (Ariana DeBose), who, after making an impassioned wish, is paired with a real person named Star.
