With so many of the same actors, directors, and writers working together on various projects, it’s only a matter of time before connections, whether intentional or otherwise, start to form. So, for fans of all those cinematic universes, here are three films and TV shows you didn’t know were spiritual sequels.
Black Swan (2010) / The Wrestler (2008)
On the surface, writer-director Darren Aronofsky’s hit films The Wrestler and Black Swan don't have much in common. After all, The Wrestler shows the tragic life of an old, broken-down professional wrestler looking for a shot at redemption, while Black Swan is about an up-and-coming dancer desperate to get the lead in a production of Swan Lake. And while the two films may feel like they’re on either side of a spectrum, they're really two sides of the same coin. In both films, we see the damage caused when passion morphs into obsession and the need for the perfect moment becomes all-encompassing. And, while both movies start from two very different places, both characters end in virtually the same place. If you’ve never seen these two films, do yourself a favor and watch the movies back to back. You won’t be disappointed.
Battlestar Galactica (2004) / Blade Runner (1982)
Strap in because this one is a bit confusing. The reimagined Battlestar Galactica series drew inspiration for its humanlike machines called Cylons from the humanlike machines known as replicants from the 1982’s futuristic sci-fi classic Blade Runner. Show creator Ronald D. Moore has said that the series, which ended with (SPOILERS!) the crew of the Galactica arriving at earth 50,000 years in the past, is, in fact, a prequel to Blade Runner. Even Edward James Almos has said that his character in Blade Runner is an ancestor of his character from Battlestar Galactica.
Breaking Bad (2008) / The Walking Dead (2010)
The long-running joke amongst creators and fans of The Walking Dead is that the Zombie apocalypse depicted in the long-running AMC series is a result of, or has something to do with, the blue meth that titular character Walter White made and sold in the AMC series, Breaking Bad. The show has gone so far as to drop clues. Some are minor – like when the character Daryl mentions that his brother used to score meth from a dealer who sounds suspiciously like Walter White’s long-time partner Jesse Pickman. Other clues are more overt. Like actually showing a bag of the notorious blue meth for all to see.
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