Spoofer Man - Will Ferrell as Supervillain

Dreamworks' Megamind is a hero spoof stuffed with subtle geek homage

Will Ferrell is best known for roles that see him running around like a loon, shirtless (and sometimes pants-less). So what to make of Megamind, a cartoon superhero spoof that turns Farrell family-friendly?

Well, like one of Dreamworks’ other cinematic properties, there’s more than meets the eye. On the surface, this is the tale of a genius supervillain who is left at loose ends when he defeats his impossibly charming arch-rival. But it’s also a clear loveletter to nerds and many flavors of nerdery. As such, easter eggs abound. Here's our heads' up for some of our favorites:

Watch for Megamind's riff on Marlon Brando’s genius turn as The Last Dad Of Krypton, Jor-El. Love interest Roxanne Ritchi (Tina Fey) works for TV station "KMCP". Get the reference? No? The MCP (Master Control Program) was the baddie in the original Tron. Plus, an entire set-piece is based around a certain 80’s video game featuring a belligerent, barrel-throwing gorilla. And that’s not even the hottest of the geek-friendly content.

In a recent interview, star Tina Fey revealed her own amorous preference for nerdlingers. Given the choice between golden-boy do-gooder MetroMan and dark-dork Megamind, who would she date? Fey would totally go for the brainy bad-boy. "He’s smart and I really do find the purple undertones of his blue skin very attractive. And he’s smaller than me and I like that. I could physically dominate him." Tina Fey: dominatrix? Now that’s an action figure we want to see.

Megamind opens in theaters today.

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