By Aaron Wilson
Last weekend, Overcomer surprised Hollywood by bringing in more than $8 million as fans flocked to theaters to see the latest movie by Christian filmmakers Alex and Stephen Kendrick.
As the faith-based film enters its second weekend in theaters, Facts & Trends is sharing the following Overcomer Easter eggs—inside jokes and nods to past movies hidden in the film.
If you’re heading to the movies this weekend or plan to give Overcomer a second viewing, keep your eyes peeled for these clever callouts to other films.
1. Coney Bombs
Coney Bombs, a fictional cereal resembling Honey Combs, has been featured in every Kendrick brothers film. In Overcomer, Coney Bombs can be seen in the Harrisons’ kitchen and in their son Ethan’s room.
2. Jay Austin Motors
Also in Ethan’s room is a Jay Austin Motors tag. Jay Austin was a used car salesman played by Alex Kendrick in Flywheel, the Kendrick brothers’ first movie.
Every Kendrick brothers movie to date has featured a Jay Austin Motors tag. Eagle-eyed fans can also spot a tag to the dealership in Overcomer on Neil Hatcher’s SUV.
3. Molly’s Bible
School principal Olivia Brook, played by Priscilla Shirer, keeps a Bible on the bookcase of her office. This is the actual Bible of Molly Bruno, a 91-year-old prayer warrior from Spring Hill, Tenn. who served as a prayer warrior during the production of War Room.
This same prop was also used as Miss Clara’s Bible in the movie War Room. There’s even a segment about Bruno in the War Room DVD titled “A Modern-Day Miss Clara.”
4. The Actual Flywheel
Ethan’s room also houses the actual flywheel from the car that was being restored in Flywheel. You can spot the titular car part propped up on an end table in Ethan’s room.
5. Like Father, Like Daughter
Hannah’s running bib in the state championship game is the same as her dad’s (No. 77) from when he raced as a young man.
6. Time for Prayer
Ethan’s room, as it turns out, contains a treasure trove of Easter eggs. The time on the clock in Ethan’s room is 7:14 p.m.—a callout to 2 Chronicles 7:14 which reads, “And [if] my people, who bear my name, humble themselves, pray and seek my face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.”
The Kendricks used 2 Chronicles 7:14 as the theme verse for War Room. The same 7:14 time was also featured in War Room on a clock shown when Tony Jordan, played by T.C. Stallings, woke up from a nightmare.
7. Vote for Pedro
Keep your eyes on the halls of the high school featured in Overcomer and you’ll spot a homemade sign encouraging students to “Vote for Pedro.” This is a reference to the 2004 film, Napoleon Dynamite, where Napoleon’s best friend Pedro decides to run as an underdog for student body president.
8. Race2Escape
At the beginning of Overcomer, Ethan Harrison works at Race2Escape and can be seen wearing one of their shirts in a family dinner scene. Later in the movie, Ethan tells his parents that Roger is closing Race2Escape and moving it to Fairview.
Race2Escape is a real “escape game” business run by a man named Roger who is a friend of the Kendricks. It’s located in Albany, Ga., the same city where Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous were filmed.
What other Easter Eggs have you spotted in Overcomer or in other Kendrick brothers movies? Let us know in the comments.
