Marvel is known for its share of movie Easter eggs within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its other animations, but the non-Marvel film it references most must be 1985's Back to the Future. Back to the Future's time-traveling adventure has Marty and Doc Brown time-hopping through decades in Doc's trusty DeLorean. While the mechanics of their excursions don't always make sense, Back to the Future remains a permanent staple in pop culture.
Most of Marvel's references to other movies are revealed through dialogue, most often by the franchise's younger characters, like Peter Quill or Peter Parker. Quill, who was kidnapped from Earth as a child, is heavily reliant on '80s film culture because that is all he knows. A popular quip of his is praising 1984's Footloose and its star Kevin Bacon, so much so that the other non-human Guardians of the Galaxy refer to the movie as well.
Peter Parker also comes across as a major film buff, referencing all those "really old movies" like Star Wars and Aliens, which come in handy during tense battle sequences. While he or Quill surprisingly hasn't ever mentioned Back to the Future, there are still plenty of hints in Big Hero 6, Black Panther, and Avengers: Endgame. Let's take a look at all these Marvel films which pay homage to the trilogy.
Big Hero 6
It may be one of the more obscure references to the trilogy, but it seems as though Doc's brain-wave analyzer makes a brief appearance in Big Hero 6. Early on, Hiro is at the science fair at his brother Tadashi's school debuting his microbots. His presentation attracts the attention of Alistair Krei, who is at another booth studying what looks like a rudimentary version of Doc's contraption. When Marty accidentally travels back to 1955 the first time, Doc claims it can read people's thoughts and tries to test it out on Marty.
Black Panther
2018's Black Panther includes a nod to Back to the Future Part II's famous sneakers, in which Shuri single-handedly repurposes T'Challa's Black Panther suit. In a humorous scene from the lab, Shuri pokes fun at T'Challa's traditional sandals and offers him a new pair of sound-absorbent shoes, which shrink to fit his feet. Shuri says they are "fully automated, like the old American movie Baba used to watch." She is of course referring to Marty's Nike self-lacing sneakers in Back to the Future, which Doc gives him to better blend in with 2015's Hill Valley.
Avengers: Endgame
Avengers: Endgame is jam-packed with references to Back to the Future. While it's directly mentioned in relation to actual time-travel, like when Tony calls out Scott's explanation or when Scott determines the movie is a "bunch of bulls**t," there a few other overt and obscure references. Plot-wise the team follows the same beats as Back to the Future Part II. Tony gets smacked in the face by past Hulk crashing through a door, much like Marty does with his first self when he's busy stealing the Sports Almanac from Biff. When Clint first travels back in time, he finds himself in his barn, much like Marty crashes the DeLorean into a barn in the original Back to the Future. Lastly, Rocket shielding himself from a Chitauri Leviathan mirrors that of Marty dodging the holographic shark in 2015. Back to the Future, among others, has made an indelible impact on its viewers and present filmmakers. As the MCU enters Phase 4, it'll be really interesting to see if more time-traveling Easter eggs will be spotted in upcoming films and shows.