Note: Contains spoilers for Ralph Breaks the Internet's credits scenes.
When it comes to Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, we usually know what to expect when it comes to their credits scenes.
On the whole, there will be two – one sets up a future MCU offering, while the other is largely a funny throwaway. There are exceptions as it's hard to imagine anyone laughing after Avengers: Infinity War's devastating ending, but generally we feel we know what to expect as we sit through the credits.
So when Wreck-It Ralph sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet decided to deliver some credits scenes, we're almost expecting what the MCU delivers, especially as their formula has been followed in other long-running franchises like the Worlds of DC and The Conjuring universe.
But fitting with the animated sequel's playful tone when it comes to all things Disney, it has some fun at the audience's expense with two brilliant scenes that outdo Marvel. Spoilers ahead, so turn away now if you want to be completely surprised.
The first credits scene takes place in the 'real' world as Mo's Mom is driving home after taking Baby Mo to see Ralph Breaks the Internet.
She asks her daughter what she thought of the movie and Baby Mo responds by saying there was a "scene in the trailer that wasn't in the movie and that made me sad". She then goes back to playing Pancake Milkshake on her tablet and we see the scene that was included in the very first trailer for Ralph Breaks the Internet.
Talking to Digital Spy, co-director Rich Moore explained that this meta gag came after the original storyline for the sequel was changed, crediting his co-director Phil Johnston for coming up with the genius joke.
"Pancake Milkshake used to be part of a montage that followed the Spamley scene where they were going loot hunting and Slaughter Race was one of the last places on their list," he noted.
"In Pancake Milkshake, they were going for the Golden Waffle and watching our animatics, we thought, 'They need to get to Slaughter Race, this is like the third montage in the movie, we don't need another one'. [So] we had to lose Pancake Milkshake."
In an extra meta level to it all, the sequence also features a reference to another Disney movie as Nicole Scherzinger – who played Moana's mother Sina in Moana – voices Mo's Mom, with Baby Mo a spitting image for Baby Moana, as some fans spotted in the original trailer.
But even that credits scene is outdone by the post-credits sequence that promises a sneak peek at Frozen 2.
Taking the form of a pop-up internet advert, we see a mouse cursor click on the advert and snowflakes start to fall. Could it really be the first look? Well, not quite, as we cut to Ralph singing Rick Astley's classic earworm 'Never Gonna Give You Up'.
As Rich Moore puts it, Ralph Breaks the Internet delivers the ultimate "wreckrolling" and confirmed to Digital Spy that it was never going to be a Frozen 2 sneak peek. You can get a snippet of the scene thanks to Rick Astley.
"We met Rick Astley [recently]. He was the nicest, funniest, gracious dude and I'm so glad he loves Frozen as much as he does, it's so cool," Johnston enthused.
The highly-anticipated Frozen 2 is out next year, so the reason that the wreckrolling works so well is because there could have been an early sequence from the movie. What's more, even Disney fans are getting in on the act and trolling Frozen fans on Twitter.
Now that's just cruel (and brilliant).
Ralph Breaks the Internet is in US cinemas now and is released in UK cinemas on November 30.
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Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
