We’re seeing it everywhere, now… shared universes and rumors of such. Technically, it can be argued that the Star Trek franchise started this, but then we got Star Wars, the X-Men and the MCU. DC tried, but then decided not to, but is still kinda trying it. Now Hasbro is developing one, along with The Conjuring and Fast and the Furious. I think it’s great to get more stories from familiar properties. It adds a depth to what is already known, as well as an opportunity to expand in the sense of representation, too. 

Shared worlds is not a new concept – it is comic companies’ bread and butter. This is also common in novels and television. It is exciting to see what was once believed to be “too complicated” to do on the big screen to become a viable option. Correction: it is viable when it is done well!

With so many independent comic companies preparing to jump into the cinematic pool with their own franchises, it will be exciting to see what comes next. Or, maybe, someone would see fit to look back and bring something new into the mix – I’m thinking about The Defenders of the Earth! At any rate, with more shared universe properties coming, we can expect there to be something for everyone!