You may not know this but there is a hidden code hidden in all of the Pixar movies. Don’t worry it’s not some sinister encrypted message from some secret society, but more of an inside joke.

The code in question is A113 (sometimes it can be A-113 or A1-13) and is an Easter egg that appears in mostly animated movies which have been created by alumni of California Institute of the Arts, and refers to the classroom which is used by graphic design and character animation students in their first year. Some of those students include Pixar’s John Lasseter and Brad Bird.

The first appearance was on a license plate number back in the 80’s on the “Family Dog” episode of Amazing Stories which was made by Brad Bird and ever since it has appeared in other Disney movies and every Pixar movie.

Brad Bird said, “I put it into every single one of my films, including my Simpsons episodes—it’s sort of my version of Hirschfeld’s ‘Nina.'”

So let’s Start off with Pixar…

Toy Story 1 – 3

• License plate number on Andy’s mom’s cars.
• The airport announcement for “LassetAir Flight A113” which is also a reference to director John Lasseter.

A Bug’s Life

• Code on cereal box as Flik enters the bug city.

Finding Nemo

• Model number of the camera used by the scuba diver.

The Incredibles

• The room number in Syndrome’s lair. The prison level where Mr. Incredible is held is “Level A1” in Cell #13 (A1 & 13).
• The power level control room monitors “Level A1” section “13”, which is where the rocket is.

Cars 1 – 2 & Cars Toons

• The number on Trev Diesel, the freight train that Lightning McQueen out runs while he is first on his way to Radiator Springs.
• It is Mater’s license plate number in the related short film, Mater and the Ghostlight.
• The beginning of the image file name for the leader of the lemon cars.
• The number on Siddeley’s tail (shown as A113), as well as on Mater’s license plate again.
• On the tail of the plane in the airfield that Mater and McMissle escape on.

Ratatouille

• Git, the lab rat, has a tag on his left ear that reads “A113”

Wall-E

• The code for the directive given to the Axiom‘s autopilot to never return to Earth.
• It also seems to spell out part of WALL-E’s name, wA11-3 Also, when Eve and WALL-E arrive on the Axiom, as they leave the docking bay, the doors are marked Deck A-224 – 1 added to each digit of the reference.

Up

• The number of the court room that Carl Fredricksen goes to after he hits a worker to protect his mailbox

Brave

• This one is pretty well hidden but it is written in Roman numerals (ACXIII) above the interior of the door to the witch’s cottage.

Monsters University

• The lecture hall where Mike and Sulley have their first class has this number on the door.

 

And it doesn’t stop at Pixar. Take a look at these Disney movies.

Lilo & Stitch

• License plate number on all vehicles, including Cobra Bubbles’ rental car, Captain Gantu’s spaceship, Nani’s car, fire truck, tanker truck, and license plate in Lilo’s room.
• Also appears in the direct-to-video sequel Leroy & Stitch.

The Princess and the Frog

• A tram is labeled number A113.

 

And other animations…

The Brave Little Toaster

• The apartment number where “The Master” lives.

The Iron Giant

• License plate on car partially eaten by the Giant; the 3 is bitten off.
• Also in Dean’s house there is a painting which has A113 on it.

 

And it doesn’t stop at animated films. Check out these animated TV shows.

The Simpsons

• Krusty the Clown’s prison uniform number, in episode 12 of Season 1, Krusty Gets Busted, at 10:45.
• Sideshow Bob’s mugshot number, in episode 2 of Season 5, Cape Feare, at 9:30.
• Bart’s mugshot number, in Simpson’s Music Video Do the Bartman, at 1:28.

American Dad

• The license plate of the yellow ‘Hummer’ car, in Season 8, Episode 1 Love, American Dad Style at 2:13.

And also

Family Guy, Powerpuff Girls, Rugrats, Tiny Toon Adventures and South Park and this isn’t naming all of them either.

 

It also continues into non-animated movies too.

The Avengers

• A113 can be seen in the top left corner of a news video feed near the end of the film, when a hostage is recounting Captain America’s rescue.

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

• At the bottom right corner of the monitor when President Snow is watching Katniss decide whether to kill someone in the arena.

Terminator: Salvation

• Seen on the computer screen (as a login override code) during the assault on a Skynet base. Timeframe – 00:09:32

Star Wars Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace

• A Droid named A113.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

• Hanaway’s weaponised “class ring” has A113 emblazoned on the side, and it is Ethan Hunt’s extraction access code given over the phone and on the plate of a car in front of the Kremlin during the big explosion, time at which the bomb’s deactivation button is pushed “1.13 seconds”.

And loads more.

The code can also be seen in video games too like Prototype, Beyond: Two Souls, A Vampyre Story, Back to the Future: The Game and Kinetic Rush: A Disney-Pixar Adventure.