When the Marvel Cinematic Universe established itself as a wildly popular and entertaining enterprise, people began taking a closer look at the concept of a shared universe. Creating one’s own cosmos of interlinked stories has since become the goal for many in the film industry.
But the concept of a shared universe has existed long before Marvel. It also exists in different mediums, especially in literature. Let’s talk more about this concept that has recently become all the rage.
What Is a Shared Universe?
A shared universe or shared world is a set of fictional works that are made by two or more contributors. These particular works can stand alone and are made independently, but they’re both considered canonical to a single narrative space.
Two writers can write two separate stories and then link them together by using or making references to the same characters, settings, or events. This can be agreed upon by the writers involved.
A famous example is the world of Malazan, created by Steven Erikson (Malazan Book of the Fallen) and Ian Cameron Esslemont (Novels of the Malazan Empire). Though their respective series are published under different names and tackle different stories, both are integral to the world’s history.
An author might also explicitly make their universe available for expansion by other writers writing their own fiction. A fanmade story can be made official this way.
For example, Eric Flint’s 1632 started out as a standalone book. However, because of popular demand and Flint’s own inexperience as a writer, he opened it up to other authors as a way to rapidly develop its world. It also prompted the creation of the Grantville Gazette, a magazine that publishes fan-written short stories and articles that are considered canon to the series.
This is different from collaborative writing or crossovers. Collaborative writing is where two or more writers team up to create a single work. The audience understands that some fiction, when presented in media such as television, requires multiple creators to pull it off. Most are not considered shared universes but collaborative works.
On the other hand, a crossover is a story where two elements from unconnected fictional worlds come together, but not in a permanent way. So while the protagonists from series A and B meet, their respective series’ backstories aren’t necessarily being connected. They’re often one-off stories that are used as marketing ploys, parodies, or what-if scenarios.
Shared Universes in Comics
In comics, a shared universe is the overall domain where the characters, events, and other elements from a comic book publisher’s works interact and appear in each other’s respective series.
Take note that this involves the entire body of works owned by the publisher. A single comic series that goes through multiple creators (such as changing writers or inkers per issue) is considered a collaboration.
There is also a shared universe called an “imaginary entertainment environment” where a combination of mediums such as novels, films, and artwork all contribute to the development of the said universe. Marvel and DC’s universes are this type.
Examples of Shared Universes
Currently, Marvel and DC’s cinematic universes are the most well-known due to their highly visible competition on the big screens. But apart from these giants, here are a few successful shared universes from film and literature.
1. The Conjuring Universe
Taking its name from the first film, the Conjuring Universe is centered on supernatural horror films that tie into one another. Its most prominent characters are dramatized versions of Ed and Lorraine Warren, whose encounters with the supernatural are the focus of the main series.
The spin-offs concern the origins of some of the entities that the Warrens have encountered, but the characters don’t necessarily appear in them.
This universe currently includes The Conjuring series, the Anabelle series, The Nun, and The Curse of La Llorona.
2. The MonsterVerse
The MonsterVerse combines two popular franchises (Godzilla and King Kong) into one. It’s a joint endeavor by Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros to establish a kaiju-centric shared universe.
It also introduced many classic monsters into today’s screens such as Mothra, Rodan, and Mechagodzilla. The universe is further supplemented by television series, books, and comics that focus on other aspects of the main storyline.
3. Law & Order Franchise
The Law & Order franchise has been airing since 1990, and to date has aired more than 1,200 episodes across all of its series. While many of the series deal with some aspects of the criminal justice system, some have also focused on journalism, medicine, and rescue.
The franchise maintains a tight connection between its various storylines. Many supporting characters and settings are shared between the different series. Crossovers between main characters also frequently occur.
4. Stephen King’s Multiverse
Almost all of Stephen King’s books are connected through his magnum opus, The Dark Tower series. The titular tower serves as a “nexus” from which all universes, and thus all his stories that occur in them, are tied.
While most of the connections are made through small references, the most obvious element his works share is the concept of Ka. It’s a mysterious force that seems to lead all living and nonliving creatures.
Even he is part of his own multiverse, referenced in The Tommyknockers as “that fellow who lived up in Bangor who wrote novels all full of make-believe monsters and a bunch of dirty words.” His multiverse has also expanded to include the works of his son, Joe Hill.
5. Known Space
Created by author Larry Niven, the Known Space is a shared universe that focuses on science fiction stories. The titular Known Space refers to a small part of the galaxy that is centered on Earth. Some stories, such as the Ringworld, occur outside of this region but are still considered part of the shared universe.
As his most popular stories involve the conflict between humanity and the feline Kzinti, Niven shared his universe with other writers since he felt inexperienced in writing war stories. As a result, the spin-off series Man-Kzin Wars continues to this day.
Why Shared Universes Are Popular
The idea that creators can bring together multiple stories and combine them into one massive epic is a tantalizing challenge. It gives writers a chance to create a richly detailed universe whose events and settings are seen from different perspectives.
Shared universes are also a good way to connect less popular works with more popular ones. The smaller stories enjoy added attention, while the bigger ones get an added layer of complexity. There’s a sense of a developing tale rather than a standalone, which people only get to enjoy once.
This is how the Marvel Cinematic Universe was successfully created. Each superhero not only appears or is referenced in successive films, but the events within their respective movies have an effect on the overall storyline. So in a way, their movies aren’t finished when the audience reaches the credits, but are continued in others.
The audience is encouraged to try the smaller stories to understand the whole picture. And while Marvel doesn’t force them to watch everything, people simply do it out of brand loyalty. The result? Some of the most anticipated and highest-grossing films of the century.
Shared universes do suffer from a few problems that need to be addressed. Because it involves multiple stories, it can be difficult to keep track of names, events, and other elements. It’s why many fans of such universes set up online encyclopedias for them.
And since there are many contributors, continuity snarls can also occur. One contributor might create a story that goes against a “rule” of the universe that they’ve forgotten. Or, two or more contributors may disagree on something, which can lead to the universe drifting away from its intended direction.
Despite these potential issues, the advantages of shared universes are still worth the effort. They give creators a chance to experiment with their storytelling while satisfying their audience with new experiences. This is why shared universes often have ground rules that creators need to follow in order to avoid theme-drifting or plot derailment.
Do you have a favorite example of a shared universe? Share it with us in the comments below!
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Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
