The wizards at Pixar Animation Studios are known for a few things. They’re famous for producing thrillingly original and innovative computer-animated movies. They’re known for cartoons that please adults as much as (or sometimes more than) they please children. And they’ve become even more beloved in nerdier circles for their inexhaustible dedication to Easter eggs.

From their very first movie, 1995’s Toy Story, the men and women of Pixar loved to litter their work with in-jokes, references, and homages to the company’s past and their filmmakers’ lives. As the studio produced more and more movies, the Easter eggs got more and more dense. Soon Pixar was not only sneaking in cameos by beloved characters from past productions, they also started teasing characters who were scheduled to star in upcoming Pixar productions. At least one character in our gallery has yet to make his official movie debut, but he already made a brief appearance in Monsters University two full years ago.

In anticipation of not one but two new Pixar movies this year (the first, Inside Out, opens in two weeks; The Good Dinosaur follows in November), we decided to tear every Pixar movie inside out (instantrimshot.com) and put together this list of the 50 coolest Pixar Easter eggs so far. Check them out in the gallery above, and if you’re a fan of movie Easter eggs in general, be sure to check out our gallery of the 50 coolest Marvel Easter eggs as well.

The mind-boggling detail that goes into these Easter eggs speaks to the level of care Pixar puts into their movies. Every frame is poured over, every shot is considered and debated. Nothing is left to chance; everything is there for a reason. You feel that perfectionism when you watch a Pixar movie. These guys go above and beyond (and even to infinity on a couple of occasions).

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