The Beverly Hills Cop Homage You Missed In Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and Venom finally returned to the big screen in "Venom: Let There Be Carnage," which picks up shortly after the events of the first film and finds the intrepid reporter tangled up in the complicated web of serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson). Thankfully, the surprising red wig Harrelson wears at the end of "Venom" is gone, and he has a much more sinister look in the sequel. Marvel fans seemed to enjoy "Let There Be Carnage" since it currently holds an 84% score on Rotten Tomatoes, although the reviews weren't as kind because it also has a 59% critic rating.

But regardless of the divisive reaction to the sequel, it caused a stir thanks to its surprising post-credits scene, which pulls Venom into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It'll be interesting to see how this affects Tom Holland's Spider-Man going forward, especially considering the multiversal events of "Spider-Man: No Way Home."

There are a few other wider Marvel references in the film, like the Ravencroft Institute — which is home to Cletus' girlfriend Shriek (Naomie Harris). But there's a surprising reference to a fan-favorite franchise that has nothing to do with Marvel. Did you spot the "Beverly Hills Cop" reference in Eddie Brock's outfit choice?

Don't worry, you didn't miss Eddie Brock wearing a T-shirt with a huge picture of Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) on the front of it. However, he's clearly a fan of the franchise from writers Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr. because he's wearing the same shirt as Foley himself in the final fight in the cathedral. Eagle-eyed fans will spot Brock's shirt, which reads "Mumford Phys. Ed. Dept." Eddie Murphy's character went to the real-world Detroit school — but Brock is a New Yorker.

There's a small similarity between Foley and Brock since they're both cocky, independent people who investigate things that are outside of their jurisdiction. But that's the only link between the two franchises. It's more likely that "Venom" star Tom Hardy or director Andy Serkis is a fan of the iconic R-rated action series and saw the shirt as a subtle fun nod to throw into an already wild film.

Most of the other Easter eggs are callbacks to Venom's huge comic book history, including the symbiote's desire to be called the "Lethal Protector" — which is the name of an iconic arc in the comics that the films are pulling from. Hopefully "Venom 3" will have just as many cool references.