# Movies/TV that could, be in the same universe as each other
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [March 28, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788 "2014-03-28T20:52:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [March 28, 2014, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/1 "2014-03-28T20:52:05Z")
Aeon Flux could be in the future of the Firefly universe - maybe on the last surviving Alliance world.
Bladerunner and Prometheus/Alien could be in the same universe. Tyrell and Weyland are competitors with competing artificial-human products lin the same marketplace.
What other pairs or groups of movies/TV can you plausibly argue are actually innthe same universe as one another? Make your own rules about how small/large an incosistency you want to just ignore…
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### Author:  [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2014, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/2 "2014-03-29T00:47:53Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> Bladerunner and Prometheus/Alien could be in the same universe. Tyrell and Weyland are competitors with competing artificial-human products lin the same marketplace.
I think this is actually the case. I seem to recall that some special features on the Prometheus DVD show a memo from Weyland referencing Tyrell.
[Is ‘Prometheus’ Set in the ‘Blade Runner’ Universe?](http://www.slashfilm.com/is-prometheus-set-in-the-blade-runner-universe/):
> [@](#):
>
> If the image is legit, the clear implication is that Peter Weyland’s mentor was Eldon Tyrell, the man who created the replicants in Blade Runner, and whose office is at the top of a pyramid, and whose creations arguably “blew up in the old man’s face.”
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### Author:  [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2014, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/3 "2014-03-29T12:39:50Z")
Not only is there a Blade Runner/Alien connection, or the canon Alien/Predator, but I’ve noted before you can argue, based on onscreen or near-onscreen elements, that _Commando/Die Hard/Speed_ _and_ _Terminator_ all take place in the same universe as _Alien/Predator/Blade Runner/[Soldier](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soldier_%281998_American_film%29)_, as well (Terminator being, presumably, being from a timeline where Judgement Day was averted).
For a slightly [del]weirder[/del] more offbeat canon shared universe, the original Gi Joe/Transformers/Jem and the Holograms/Inhumanoids/C.O.P.S. officially [take place in the same universe](http://tfwiki.net/wiki/Primax_984.17_Alpha)…and one of the staff writers intended to add the original [My Little Pony](http://buzzdixon.com/media/the-many-faces-of-hector-ramirez/) to the mix, as well.
Bizarre, thematically incompatible crossovers…god help me, I love them so. 😃
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### Author:  [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/4 "2014-03-29T13:23:24Z")
Dexter and Burn Notice. Both take place in Miami. The raging incompetence of the Miami Metro police which can be observed in “Dexter” actually makes it seem plausible that they never take the slightest notice of the many explosions and heists on “Burn Notice,” not to mention Michael/Fiona’s apparently endless supply of illegal ordinance.
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### Author:  [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)
#### Post date: [March 29, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/5 "2014-03-29T21:43:36Z")
Fans of the show _St. Elsewhere_ will be familiar with this:
> **[Tommy Westphall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Westphall)**
>
> Tommy Westphall, portrayed by Chad Allen, is a minor character from the drama television series St. Elsewhere, which ran on NBC from 1982 to 1988.
> Westphall, who is autistic, played an increased role in St. Elsewhere's final episode, "The Last One", one interpretation of which is that the entire St. Elsewhere storyline exists only within Westphall's imagination. As characters from St. Elsewhere have appeared on other television shows and those shows' characters appeared on more shows, and so on,...
[http://tommywestphall.wikia.com/wiki/Category:All\_shows](http://tommywestphall.wikia.com/wiki/Category:All_shows)
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/6 "2014-03-30T00:59:23Z")
Wanted (2008, Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy) takes place inside The Matrix.
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### Author:  [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/7 "2014-03-30T01:14:39Z")
**Burn Notice** can also either exist in a future of 1980s _ **Miami Vice** _ or in the “present” of the terrible Michael Mann film of the same name.This is because the people of Miami have no major issues with their streets being turned into a domestic battleground in any of the series or in the film.
The same could also be true of _ **Burn Notice** _ and the _ **Bad Boys** _ film franchise. Again, the people of the Miami-Dade metro area are so inured to car chases and roving gun battles that these are no longer seen as being major incidents.
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### Author:  [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/8 "2014-03-30T01:21:03Z")
**Frozen** takes place in the same universe as Disney’s **Little Mermaid**. The ship that sank with Elsa and Anna’s parents on board is seen at the bottom of the ocean when Ariel is singing about all of the stuff she likes around her.
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### Author:  [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/9 "2014-03-30T01:35:16Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#):
>
> **Frozen** takes place in the same universe as Disney’s **Little Mermaid**. The ship that sank with Elsa and Anna’s parents on board is seen at the bottom of the ocean when Ariel is singing about all of the stuff she likes around her.
Nah. The two ships are completely different designs.
What IS in the same universe as Frozen, however, is Tangled. Rapunzel and Eugene attend Elsa’s coronation, and it was quite probably their wedding Anna and Elsa’s parents were headed to when their boat sank. (That happened 3 years before the bulk of the movie, which came out 3 years after Tangled.)
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### Author:  [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/10 "2014-03-30T01:49:46Z")
DCI Luther, in London, gets some information from Detective Munch in New York.
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### Author:  [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/11 "2014-03-30T02:11:09Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#):
>
> Fans of the show _St. Elsewhere_ will be familiar with this:
>
> [Tommy Westphall - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Westphall)
>
> [http://tommywestphall.wikia.com/wiki/Category:All\_shows](http://tommywestphall.wikia.com/wiki/Category:All_shows)
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#):
>
> DCI Luther, in London, gets some information from Detective Munch in New York.
It’s all in Tommy Westphall’s mind. Even _Breaking Bad_ and _The Walking Dead_, as I have just recently uncovered. Munch is pivotal to a substantial amount of it, including both BB and WD
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### Author:  [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/12 "2014-03-30T03:33:49Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> Bladerunner and Prometheus/Alien could be in the same universe. Tyrell and Weyland are competitors with competing artificial-human products lin the same marketplace.
The Weyland-Yutani logo is also seen in a episode of _Firefly_.
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### Author:  [@dasmoocher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dasmoocher)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/13 "2014-03-30T03:36:23Z")
> [@Washoe](#):
>
> It’s all in Tommy Westphall’s mind. Even _Breaking Bad_ and _The Walking Dead_, as I have just recently uncovered. Munch is pivotal to a substantial amount of it, including both BB and WD
What’s the Munch connection with _Breaking Bad_? Sorry, I’ve read the Westphall’s mind Wiki link before, but not recently.
I lived in B’more when _Homicide_ first aired and Munch was a great character who I’ve followed somewhat since, and I now live in Abq near Hank’s house.
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### Author:  [@nevadaexile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nevadaexile)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/14 "2014-03-30T03:38:40Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#):
>
> The Weyland-Yutani logo is also seen in a episode of _Firefly_.
Which actually makes no sense as it is clear that FTL (faster than light) space travel exists in the _ **Alien** _ universe , but not that of _ **Firefly** _.
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### Author:  [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/15 "2014-03-30T04:09:02Z")
> [@dasmoocher](#):
>
> What’s the Munch connection with _Breaking Bad_? Sorry, I’ve read the Westphall’s mind Wiki link before, but not recently
St. Elsewhere → Homicide: LOS via Victor Ehrlich; Homicide: LOS → X-Files via Munch; X-Files → BB via Cradock Marine Bank; and BB → WD through Blue Sky, as was just pointed out in a thread here yesterday.
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### Author:  [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/16 "2014-03-30T04:43:03Z")
John Munch appeared in Homicide:Life on the Streets, Law & Order: SVU, Law & Order, Arrested Development, X-Files, The Beat, Law & Order: Trial By Jury, The Wire, 30 Rock, and as a Muppet on Sesame Street. He was also mentioned in the UK series Luther.
The character of John Munch was also on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
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### Author:  [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/17 "2014-03-30T06:22:34Z")
I mentioned this one before, and other fans mentioned the theory that Pulp Fiction is in the same Avengers’s/Marvel Universe.
It was the Tesseract the glowing object that was inside Marsellus Wallace briefcase.
Nick Fury in disguise infiltrated the crime group to check if Marsellus was not involved with the Red Skull or other super villains, Jules/Nick retrieved the Cosmic Cube once he confirmed that it was luck what allowed Marsellus to get his hands on the Cosmic Cube. Marsellus was only partially aware of what the Cube could do.
Samuel L. Jackson at the after the credits scene from the first Thor movie presented the Cosmic Cube to the scientist on a briefcase, the glow in his face was clearly a shout out to his early role on Pulp Fiction.
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### Author:  [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/18 "2014-03-30T08:45:19Z")
[Cracked.com](http://Cracked.com) made a very solid argument for Buffy, Angel, and Firefly all being in the same universe, with Cabin In The Woods as the lynch-pin tying Firefly to the first two. I want to say Dollhouse may have also been tied in to that. The idea was that one or several of the (many) behind-the-scenes semi-official organizations that typically turn up in Joss Whedon’s shows (Watchers, Wolfram and Hart, SHEILD, etc.) pulled together the resources to bug out of Earth when things eventually go bad.
Also, just because I’m a smartass, I’m gonna say Stargate SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis, and Stargate Universe may all take place in the same setting. The film version of StarGate is problematic for various reasons (produced by a different crew for one thing), and Stargate Infinity is right out.
To add onto the above, I’ve seen fun theories in various places that point out that the film version of StarGate ties in easily enough with Independence Day (made by the same people). With some relatively minor script rewrites, it’d be very easy to have produced ID4 as a straight sequel. Just replace Adam Baldwin with Kurt Russel.
I want to say that Robocop and Terminator is semi-canon, and at least a game attempt was made at tying them into the Alien universe. But then again, that’s all in the comic books, where pretty much everything goes.
Thanks to the magic of network cross-marketing, there is an official link between Street Fighter, Savage Dragon, Wing Commander, and I want to say Mortal Kombat (or at least, their animated continuities), though explicitly not being in the same universe (there was a universe-hopping Thor-esque guy trying to recover a lost MacGuffin that his world needed to survive, to make things more confusing, he’s pretty certain he knows one of Christopher Blair’s ancestors, but they never elaborate on that). All of the aforementioned (very good) cartoons aired on the USA Network’s saturday morning lineup.
I like to joke that Dune takes place after Terminator, with the Butlerian Jihad just being a very poorly remembered and much elaborated over time version of the War Against the Machines.
Also, EA used to have a lot of fun shanghaing their various game licences into a fun crazy cross-referencing multiverse. Off the top of my head, Strike Commander and Crusader both take place in Wing Commander’s history, while System Shock, Bio-Forge, and a few other games exist within the Wing Commander universe as movies or other media, and vice versa.
There used to be a fun theory (with lots of in-universe hints) that Halo took place in the Marathon universe (and I’m told that Marathon took place in the same universe as Pathways Into Darkness). Around Halo 2 or 3, Bungie decided it’d be better to just split it off entirely and let Halo be it’s own thing (albeit with lots of meta-references to Marathon. You used to be able to make a drinking game out of the Marathon logo popping up all over the place in Halo games)
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/19 "2014-03-30T09:10:07Z")
Harry Potter and Star Wars… the stuff called ‘magic’ on Earth in HP is just a manifestation of The Force.
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [March 30, 2014, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-tv-that-could-be-in-the-same-universe-as-each-other/684788/20 "2014-03-30T11:52:13Z")
I was hoping David Rasche would appear on _Psych_ as Inspector Sledge Hammer.
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