Marvel and DC are titans of the comic book industry. They’ve produced some of the most iconic and popular superheroes in the world, like Batman and Superman from DC or Spider-Man and Captain America from Marvel. Since the early 2000s, their live-action adaptations have dominated the global box office and, for better or worse, have changed the movie industry.
For the last couple of decades, Marvel and DC have been duking it out on a worldwide stage over ticket sales and audience engagement. And in the eyes of most comic book fans, Marvel has been winning the rivalry, producing a slew of better, more consistent movies.
Although Marvel and DC films exist separately from each other, there are instances where one studio mentions the other, like in the ten movies below. It’s usually nothing more than a fun, harmless reference. But sometimes, their competition works its way into the movies and delivers a more vicious jab.
10 “Why Couldn’t I Have Been Stretchy or Have a Magic Hammer or Something?”
DC League of Super-Pets (2022)
DC League of Super-Pets is an animated kids movie about the pets of DC’s most iconic superheroes. It’s chock-full of hilarious Marvel references, two of which are on this list. In this one, Batman’s future dog, Ace (Kevin Hart), is nearly invulnerable, and because of that, he always finds himself being forced into dangerous situations. “Why couldn’t I have been stretchy or have a magic hammer or something?” he laments while heading into a scorching fire.
There are actually two great Marvel Easter eggs in this line. The stretchy part refers to Marvel’s superhero Mr. Fantastic, while the hammer alludes to Thor’s iconic weapon, Mjolnir.
9 “You’re Not Superman, You Know.”
Spider-Man (2002)
Once upon a time, 2002’s Spider-Man was the biggest and most profitable movie in Hollywood. This gem has influenced every superhero movie over the last two decades and still holds up today as a great film. Here, a young Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) grapples with his new superhuman powers, as he gradually transforms into the masked superhero, Spider-Man.
There’s a great line that always popped up in this movie’s trailers. No, we’re not talking about “With great power comes great responsibility” from Uncle Ben (Cliff Robertson). We’re talking about a line from Aunt May (Rosemary Harris). After noticing Peter’s perpetual exhaustion, Aunt May hits her nephew with this cute, humorous line referencing one of DC’s most famous superheroes:
“You do too much. College, a job, all this time with me. You’re not Superman, you know.”
That’s right, Aunt May, he’s not Superman. He’s Spider-Man.
8 “I Don’t Wear a Cape.”
Eternals (2021)
It seems like Marvel loves to mention DC’s Superman. The critically panned MCU film, Eternals, features a team of immortal alien beings, who resurface after thousands of years to protect Earth from their ancient rivals. One of those beings is Ikaris (Richard Madden), who possesses Superman-like abilities. When a little boy spots Ikaris on the street, he cries out excitedly, “That’s Superman! I saw him on TV. He was in London, fighting a monster, and you were with a cape, and you were shooting laser beams out of your eyes!”
“I don’t wear a cape,” Ikaris hits back smugly.
7 The Avengers or Super Friends? – Iron Man 3 (2013)
Everybody knows the two big comic book superhero teams: Marvel’s Avengers and DC’s Justice League. But in the ’70s and ’80s, there was another group: DC’s Super Friends. This group appeared in a cartoon series and featured members of the Justice League, like Batman and Superman, as well as lesser-known DC heroes like The Atom and the Wonder Twins.
In Iron Man 3, Happy Hogan (John Favreau), the righthand man of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), tells Tony:
“Yeah, I miss you too. But the way it used to be. Now you’re off with the Super Friends.”
6 “I Am Aquaman/Iron Man.”
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the second Aquaman movie and the last film in the DCEU, contained a few Marvel references. One of them comes at the very end, when Aquaman (Jason Momoa) reveals the hidden city of Atlantis to the surface world for the first time. He delivers a globally televised speech, calling for the unity of both worlds.
And at the very end, he drops this last line: “I am Aquaman.” This alludes to the famous last scene of 2008’s Iron Man, when Tony Stark unexpectedly reveals himself as Iron Man to the world. There’s also some irony, perhaps intentional, to this reference. Iron Man and its final line kicked off the MCU, while Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and its final line bid farewell to the DCEU.
5 Green Lantern References
Deadpool (2016)
Deadpool, real name Wade Wilson, is a different kind of Marvel superhero. He’s a comedic, masked character, who will slice someone’s head off or take a knife to the brain and then immediately make a sarcastic comment about it afterward. Deadpool is known for breaking the fourth wall and speaking directly to the audience, so it’s no surprise that his self-aware quips make up most of the entries on this list.
Deadpool is played to perfection by Ryan Reynolds, who also portrayed the titular superhero in DC’s abysmal Green Lantern. Reynolds couldn’t pass up the chance to throw some humorous jabs at his old superhero project. In 2016’s Deadpool, Wade asks his captors not to make his super suit green or animated, a reference to Reynolds’ horrible, CGIed green suit in Green Lantern. But Reynolds doesn’t stop there. In 2018’s Deadpool 2, Deadpool time travels back in time and kills Ryan Reynolds while he’s holding the Green Lantern script, preventing the actor from ever making the movie.
4 “They Should Call Me Iron Man.”
DC League of Super-Pets (2022)
In this scene from DC League of Super-Pets, Superman (John Krasinski) is talking to his dog Krypto (Dwayne Johnson) while looking at himself in the mirror. He uses his laser eye powers to iron his shirt when he drops one of the greatest dad jokes ever: “They should call me Iron Man,” he says, chuckling before shaking his head in shame. Don’t worry, Clark. We’re sure all the dads in the theater thought it was funny, too.
3 “I’m Batman”
Deadpool 2 (2018)
To understand the context for this one, we need to take things all the way back to 1989. Tim Burton’s Batman opens with a mugging in an alleyway. The two thieves are counting their profits on a rooftop, gossiping about the crazy, new story that’s been circulating Gotham City’s underworld: a bat creature is hunting criminals. On cue, Batman (Michael Keaton) drops from the sky and proves the gossip true, striking fear in the hearts of these criminals. “What are you?” one of them chokes. Batman brings the thug in close and then rasps these two words: “I’m Batman.”
Before 1989, audiences mostly knew Batman as that goofy superhero in blue tights, thanks to the campy 1960s TV show starring Adam West. This scene was our first look at a darker, more serious Batman, and the character’s opening line has become an iconic movie quote. Christopher Nolan’s Batman (Christian Bale) recited this line in his own introduction in Batman Begins. Over thirty years later, Keaton made fanboys gasp when he reprised his role as Batman in The Flash and repeated his most famous line.
But it’s not just DC that pays homage to this classic line. Ryan Reynolds also does in Marvel’s Deadpool 2. The time-traveling Cable (Josh Brolin) finds himself in a prison brawl with an unmasked Deadpool. “Who are you?” Cable asks. “I’m Batman,” Deadpool rasps back in a solid imitation of Keaton’s Batman.
2 Aquaman Calls His Brother Loki
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)
The other Marvel Easter egg in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom comes much earlier in the film. Aquaman breaks his criminal brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) out of prison. Sound familiar yet? The two share a typical sibling rivalry, messing with each other throughout the film. At one point, Aquaman calls his brother “Loki”, a reference to the famous sibling rivalry between Thor and his villainous brother Loki in the MCU.
1 Henry Cavill’s Cameo
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Henry Cavill is known for playing Superman in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). He was recently axed, along with the rest of the DCEU, when James Gunn took over to create the new DC Universe (DCU). Now we’re getting a brand new Superman in 2025. Rumors have been circulating that Marvel might cast Cavill as the MCU’s Wolverine. But that gossip was put to bed when it was announced that Hugh Jackman would be brandishing Wolverine’s claws once again in the recently released Deadpool & Wolverine.
Marvel shocked audiences (in a good way) when Cavill made an unexpected cameo as a Wolverine variant. Deadpool’s reaction to Cavill’s appearance perfectly summarizes many fans’ reactions:
“May I say sir, on behalf of all humanity, this just feels
right
. We will treat you so much better than those sh****cks down the street.”
A brutal, not-so-subtle jab at DC Studios.