Top 10 Deepest Cinematic Universes

Spinning off from the first “Clerks” movie, the View Askewniverse is a surprisingly monumental cornerstone for shared universes. The cartoonishly absurd cult classics are crowning achievements in the stoner and slacker comedy subgenres. What also makes them enjoyable are the ways that they all link together through quirky characters like the infamous Jay and Silent Bob. Whether they’re in “Dogma”, or “Chasing Amy”, or their own titular movies, the two provide endless entertainment. Named after Kevin Smith’s production company, the View Askewniverse isn’t a world jam-packed with new content coming out every year. However, it’s a lighthearted cinematic universe that’s still had an undeniable cultural impact during the ‘90s and today.

For over 20 years, fans have been racing to movie theaters to watch this fast-paced franchise. Even though we might clown on Dom Toretto and his weird obsession with family, at the end of the day, this is an absurdly entertaining universe. If you thought it was just about tricked-out cars, think again. What started out as a movie about street racing soon became an extensive line of blockbusters. Each new movie just gets bigger, bolder, and crazier. Seriously, like, they’ve already gone to space! So at some point they’re going to start racing on the moon, right? While the main series is expected to conclude with its eleventh installment, the franchise shows no signs of slowing down, with various spin-offs in the works.

This spooky universe largely centers on demonologist couple Ed and Lorraine Warren, and their various encounters with the paranormal. While Ed and Lorraine were actually real-life people, the movies take artistic license in portraying their experiences. Spin-offs also delve into the backstories of the possessed doll Annabelle and the demon nun Valak. You wouldn’t think studios could get this much mileage out of a few disputed ghost stories. But the Conjuring Universe shows otherwise. With eight films currently released and more on the way, it’s a horror franchise that refuses to die.

The magic has seemingly never left when it comes to “Harry Potter”. The stronghold that this franchise had throughout and after the 2000s was so great that we were all pretty much under its spell. But if you thought the Wizarding World started and ended with J. K. Rowling’s original book series, think again. When the eight Potter movies wrapped up, the “Fantastic Beasts” spin-off franchise was created. Set before the events of the original movies, they expanded on the lore and further fleshed out the universe. And with a streaming show reboot of “Harry Potter” planned for Max, this impressive world doesn’t show any sign of losing its charm.

Xenomorphs are cosmic terrors that grow more dangerous with every film, but a few movies about creepy space monsters is really just the tip of the iceberg with this sci-fi horror franchise. The lore gets even wilder when you take into account films like the prequel “Prometheus”, which offers surprising details about the potential origins of the Xenomorphs. Beyond that, they aren’t the only stars of this universe. The franchise has also crossed over with “Predator” twice on the silver screen - even if, strictly speaking, these adventures aren’t quite canonical. And through various easter eggs, hints suggest that “Alien” might exist in the same world as director Ridley Scott’s other sci-fi hit “Blade Runner”. It’s like with each new installment, the extraterrestrial-heavy universe just keeps expanding in the craziest ways.

Universal is famous for its plethora of spookily iconic monsters like Dracula, the Mummy, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon. And the list just goes on. They’re not just the OG horror icons, but also characters whose legacies continue today. But the charm with Universal isn’t just all of these great individual characters. It’s also the ways in which their stories get weaved together. After all, one of the earliest instances of a cinematic universe is when Frankenstein’s monster clashes with the Wolf Man. Universal was basically doing shared continuity before it was even cool. So if you’re talking about cinematic universes you simply can’t ignore one of the very first!

J. R. R. Tolkien was very much a lore guy, and that’s reflected in Peter Jackson’s acclaimed adaptations. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy combined high spectacle with deep exploration of themes, characters, and worldbuilding. Jackson returned to Middle-earth for a three-part adaptation of “The Hobbit”. Tolkien’s vision was immense, but Jackson’s movies captured that staggering sense of scale. Their iconic visual style influenced Amazon’s separate prequel show “The Rings of Power”. The cinematic universe that Jackson began is set to expand with the anime prequel “The War of the Rohirrim”, and a live-action film with the working title “The Hunt for Gollum”.

In a time where many shared universes are dead on arrival, the Monsterverse is only growing. Not to be confused with Universal’s realm of monsters, the Monsterverse is a world that features the likes of Godzilla, King Kong, and other larger-than-life creatures. Cinematic universes are hard to create, but this one has done surprisingly well. Sure, not every installment is necessarily a homerun, but the success it’s had is astonishing. This franchise doesn’t just have giant kaijus; it’s also got giant box office returns. With multiple movies, including several Godzilla and Kong crossovers, and a slew of shows either in development or already out, the Monsterverse is on a monstrous run.

While it’s not the first shared universe, the MCU is definitely one of the most impactful. Through its carefully planned slate of solo movies and crossovers, it truly popularized the concept of a cinematic universe. Crossover movies like “Infinity War” and “Endgame” were cultural phenomena. Drawing on rich source material in the comics, the franchise has put storytelling first, giving fans new spins on familiar characters. Of course, there’s also been criticism that the films have begun to feel formulaic - leading to superhero fatigue. But all in all, the MCU has given us some amazing stories. Others have tried to follow suit, albeit with mixed success - from the DC Extended Universe to Sony’s own versions of Marvel characters.

You want to talk about expansive universes? “Star Wars” is so expansive that Disney had to reset the expanded universe to make room for new stories. The sci-fi saga tells tales of good and evil and daring adventures in space, centering on the Skywalker family and their legacy. But really, that description only scratches the surface. The stories in “Star Wars” span the galaxy and take place in distinct eras. And they’re still expanding, with films planned that go back to the Dawn of the Jedi, and ahead to the founding of a new Jedi Order. While the original trilogy remains untouchable, and subsequent movies have varied in quality, the franchise shows no signs of slowing down.

Is there an interconnected world of movies we missed? Let us know in the comments!