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The Theory of the Unified Original Superhero Movie Universe
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Terrence Clay
Sep 24, 2014, 6:01:32 PM9/24/14
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http://ohilodude.wordpress.com/2014/06/23/the-theory-of-the-unified-original-superhero-movie-universe/
An Editorial by Avery Hinks
As you may know, these days every Comic Book Superhero Movie released to the big screen is a part of its own greater universe. With Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe, Fox’s X-Men Universe, WB’s Justice League universe, and even Sony building a universe off its Spider-Man properties, every studio is scrambling to adapt Comic Book Superhero movies and make buckets of cash.
But aside from Comic Books Superhero Movies, there are also a few original Superhero Movies, based on no previously written comic books. These original Superhero movies have not built there own universe around themselves the same way Comic Book Superhero movies have…or have they?
What if almost every live action original Superhero movie we’ve seen since 2000 has been building a Cinematic Universe right in front of us, and we haven’t even noticed. I have investigated this theory and actually found some interesting things that could in fact link them all together into one universe, and it all starts here:
UNBREAKABLE (2000)
Image
In this M. Night Shyamalan directed film, we see the story of David Dunn (played by Bruce Willis), a man who mysteriously acquired the powers of being indestructible.
Image
He at first struggles to deal with having these powers but eventually finds a way to use them for good. However, his fun is interrupted by one man: Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson).
Image
Elijah has a deformity, that makes him have very weak and easily breakable bones. He is fascinated by David’s powers and we find out in the end that all the death-defying situations David has gone through in his life have been caused by Elijah, who was just testing the limits of David’s powers. Elijah discovers that David is completely indestructible and has super strength. Elijah has become afraid of David’s abilities but luckily for him, David has come to his downfall after finding out all of these death-defying situations thus far have been Elijah’s doings.
Image
The origin of David Dunn’s powers are still unexplained by the end of the movie.
Elijah is not done yet. His fight against people with powerful abilities continues in…
JUMPER (2008)
Image
This movie takes place in 2008, 8 years after the events in Unbreakable.
In this movie, there are people who exist on earth who harness the power of teleportation. They are known as Jumpers. It follows the story of David Rice (Hayden Christiansen) and Griffin (Jamie Bell), who are both Jumpers.
Image
These two Jumpers are running from a government organization who hunts Jumpers, lead by a character named Rolland (Samuel L. Jackson).
Image
How can Samuel L. Jackson play two different characters in this universe, you ask? Well that’s easy: they are the same character.
Both Elijah and Rolland are fascinated by people with powerful abilities, want to test their limits, and ultimately eliminate them completely. My theory is that after dealing with David Dunn, within the 8 years between Unbreakable and Jumper, Elijah got surgery to fix his bones, and in this government organization goes by the code name: Rolland.
This would also explain why Rolland so strongly reacts to David Rice’s first incident happening 8 years ago,
Image
because it reminds him of when he was weaker, and also his first investigation of a human with powerful abilities.
We also find out at the end of this movie that these powers can be passed on through genetics, because David Rice’s mother was a Jumper as well.
Image
I wonder if David Dunn’s son, Joesph Dunn is indestructible like his father.
So we now know there are two types of Super Powers that exist in this universe: Indestructibility and Teleportation.
However, we still do not know the origin of the Super Powers in this universe. The next movie might give us some clues though…
HANCOCK (2008)
Image
This movie takes place in Los Angeles, California and follows the story of the loud-mouthed superhero, Hancock (Will Smith), who starts out as an asshole but in the end realizes that fighting for the good of the people is a better thing to do.
Image
Hancock is indestructible and has super strength just like David Dunn did. Hancock also has the power of flight. Does this mean David Dunn could fly as well? I don’t know, and it is not important.
What is important is that in this movie, we actually know the origin of Hancock’s powers, and it actually sets him apart from the rest of the heroes in this universe.
Hancock is unclear about his past because a long time ago he suffered from amnesia, and forgot everything about himself. Until he meets a character named Mary (Charlize Theron), who has the exact same abilities as Hancock.
Image
Mary explains to Hancock that they are from another planet, and their race came to Earth many years ago (Hancock also ages VERY slowly, by the way).
So what does this tell us? This tells us that the origin of Super Powers on Earth could have came here with the alien race that came to Earth a very long time ago.
Also, I believe that the government focuses less on hunting down Hancock because he has proven not to be messed with many times. Most can be seen in the first half of the movie.
Image
So was Hancock’s alien race the origin of the Super Powers? We will find out later. But for now, some new types of powers are introduced…
PUSH (2009)
Image
This movie follows the story of two teenagers, Nick Gant (Chris Evans) who has telekinetic powers, and Cassie Holmes (Dakota Fanning) who possess the power of seeing into the future. Nick Gant does not practice using his powers very much so he is not good at using them.
Image
They most go to Hong Kong and rescue another girl, Kira, who is a telepath, before the government gets to her first.
push11
There are many other types of powers presented in this movie as well, such as tracking, shape-shifting, and healing powers.
People with telekinesis are referred to as “Movers”, people who can see the future are called “Watchers”, telepaths are called “Pushers”, shape-shifters are called “Shifters”, healers are called “Stichers”, and people who can follow scents are called “Sniffers”, people who destroy things by yelling are called “Bleeders”, and people who can stay hidden are called “Shadows”. So, in this case, it would make sense that in this universe, people who can teleport are called “Jumpers”.
That last part is what links Push into this universe. Telekinetics and other people with powers are being hunted by a government organization just like Jumpers are.
The only difference is that the government organization in Push is lead by a guy who actually has powers of his own.
Image
The government organization is called Division. Division is a group of people with powers capturing other people with powers against their will so they can be used as weapons against things like other countries, law enforcement, or maybe even aliens (if Hancock exists in this world that would make sense).
Division could very well be the same government organization that we see in Jumper. Maybe they want to eliminate Jumpers but recruit everyone else because they feel Jumpers are too dangerous.
This movie also states that people with powers were initially noticed in 1945 and used in the second World War. It also makes it very clear that powers can be passed on through genetics just like in Jumper.
This movie mainly introduces us to the many other types of powers people can have in this universe.
It does not go too deep into the origin of the heroes, but we learn A LOT more about both “Movers” and the origin of the Super Powers in the next, most recent installment in this universe…
CHRONICLE (2012)
Image
This movie takes place in Seattle and follows the story of three teenage boys who go for a walk while they are at a party and find something of supernatural nature.
Image
They find an alien rock formation in a tunnel underground. They touch it, explore it, and much more. The next day, they wake up with telekinesis.
Image
At first they have fun with it, doing things like building Lego sets with their minds and tearing the limbs off of spiders. But then they seriously start to investigate their powers and unlike Nick Gant, practice using them a lot.
They even figure out how to levitate themselves and fly!
Image
One of the boys, Andrew (Dane Dehaan) lets his powers get the best of him, however, after Steve (Michael B. Jordan) falls out of the sky and dies while flying.
Andrew goes down a dark path and ends up going on a rampage, killing lots of people.
Image
This backs up what Elijah Price/Rolland said about people not being responsible enough to have powers. It would also explain why Hancock, the only non-human hero in this universe, is the most responsible one.
But the main thing Chronicle adds to this cinematic universe is the origin of the Super Powers. Alien rock formations like the one in Chronicle came to earth many years ago with Hancock’s alien race and have given people all over the world powers like the ones Hancock and his race possess.
And since the powers can also be passed on through genetics, more and more people will have powers without finding one of the rock formations.
The main villain in this universe is the government because they are hunting the people with these abilities and trying to eliminate them.
We can also establish from these 5 movies that there are five main kinds of Super Powers in this universe, as well as some other, less common ones:
◾Unbreakables (David Dunn, Hancock, Mary)
◾Jumpers (David Rice, Griffin)
◾Movers (Nick Gant, Andrew Detmer, Matt Garetty, Steve Montgomery)
◾Watchers (Cassie Holmes)
◾Pushers (Kira, Agent Henry Carver)
◾Shifters
◾Sniffers
◾Stichers
◾Bleeders
◾Shadows
Chronicle is most likely not the last installment in this universe though. This October 2014, we will see the release of Birdman, starring Michael Keaton. It could prove to be part of this universe as well.
There is also a film currently in development called Brilliance, which also involves people with Superpowers being hunted by the government.
And of course, sequels to Hancock, Jumper, and Chronicle have been in development for some time now so we could see those added to the universe as well. Or maybe even a crossover film!
Well, there you have it folks! The Original Superhero Movie Universe has been explained! Go watch all these movies for yourself and see if you can spot some connections of your own, and leave them in the comments section below!
I will make more updates if I notice new connections as well.
An Editorial by Avery Hinks
As you may know, these days every Comic Book Superhero Movie released to the big screen is a part of its own greater universe. With Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe, Fox’s X-Men Universe, WB’s Justice League universe, and even Sony building a universe off its Spider-Man properties, every studio is scrambling to adapt Comic Book Superhero movies and make buckets of cash.
But aside from Comic Books Superhero Movies, there are also a few original Superhero Movies, based on no previously written comic books. These original Superhero movies have not built there own universe around themselves the same way Comic Book Superhero movies have…or have they?
What if almost every live action original Superhero movie we’ve seen since 2000 has been building a Cinematic Universe right in front of us, and we haven’t even noticed. I have investigated this theory and actually found some interesting things that could in fact link them all together into one universe, and it all starts here:
UNBREAKABLE (2000)
Image
In this M. Night Shyamalan directed film, we see the story of David Dunn (played by Bruce Willis), a man who mysteriously acquired the powers of being indestructible.
Image
He at first struggles to deal with having these powers but eventually finds a way to use them for good. However, his fun is interrupted by one man: Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson).
Image
Elijah has a deformity, that makes him have very weak and easily breakable bones. He is fascinated by David’s powers and we find out in the end that all the death-defying situations David has gone through in his life have been caused by Elijah, who was just testing the limits of David’s powers. Elijah discovers that David is completely indestructible and has super strength. Elijah has become afraid of David’s abilities but luckily for him, David has come to his downfall after finding out all of these death-defying situations thus far have been Elijah’s doings.
Image
The origin of David Dunn’s powers are still unexplained by the end of the movie.
Elijah is not done yet. His fight against people with powerful abilities continues in…
JUMPER (2008)
Image
This movie takes place in 2008, 8 years after the events in Unbreakable.
In this movie, there are people who exist on earth who harness the power of teleportation. They are known as Jumpers. It follows the story of David Rice (Hayden Christiansen) and Griffin (Jamie Bell), who are both Jumpers.
Image
These two Jumpers are running from a government organization who hunts Jumpers, lead by a character named Rolland (Samuel L. Jackson).
Image
How can Samuel L. Jackson play two different characters in this universe, you ask? Well that’s easy: they are the same character.
Both Elijah and Rolland are fascinated by people with powerful abilities, want to test their limits, and ultimately eliminate them completely. My theory is that after dealing with David Dunn, within the 8 years between Unbreakable and Jumper, Elijah got surgery to fix his bones, and in this government organization goes by the code name: Rolland.
This would also explain why Rolland so strongly reacts to David Rice’s first incident happening 8 years ago,
Image
because it reminds him of when he was weaker, and also his first investigation of a human with powerful abilities.
We also find out at the end of this movie that these powers can be passed on through genetics, because David Rice’s mother was a Jumper as well.
Image
I wonder if David Dunn’s son, Joesph Dunn is indestructible like his father.
So we now know there are two types of Super Powers that exist in this universe: Indestructibility and Teleportation.
However, we still do not know the origin of the Super Powers in this universe. The next movie might give us some clues though…
HANCOCK (2008)
Image
This movie takes place in Los Angeles, California and follows the story of the loud-mouthed superhero, Hancock (Will Smith), who starts out as an asshole but in the end realizes that fighting for the good of the people is a better thing to do.
Image
Hancock is indestructible and has super strength just like David Dunn did. Hancock also has the power of flight. Does this mean David Dunn could fly as well? I don’t know, and it is not important.
What is important is that in this movie, we actually know the origin of Hancock’s powers, and it actually sets him apart from the rest of the heroes in this universe.
Hancock is unclear about his past because a long time ago he suffered from amnesia, and forgot everything about himself. Until he meets a character named Mary (Charlize Theron), who has the exact same abilities as Hancock.
Image
Mary explains to Hancock that they are from another planet, and their race came to Earth many years ago (Hancock also ages VERY slowly, by the way).
So what does this tell us? This tells us that the origin of Super Powers on Earth could have came here with the alien race that came to Earth a very long time ago.
Also, I believe that the government focuses less on hunting down Hancock because he has proven not to be messed with many times. Most can be seen in the first half of the movie.
Image
So was Hancock’s alien race the origin of the Super Powers? We will find out later. But for now, some new types of powers are introduced…
PUSH (2009)
Image
This movie follows the story of two teenagers, Nick Gant (Chris Evans) who has telekinetic powers, and Cassie Holmes (Dakota Fanning) who possess the power of seeing into the future. Nick Gant does not practice using his powers very much so he is not good at using them.
Image
They most go to Hong Kong and rescue another girl, Kira, who is a telepath, before the government gets to her first.
push11
There are many other types of powers presented in this movie as well, such as tracking, shape-shifting, and healing powers.
People with telekinesis are referred to as “Movers”, people who can see the future are called “Watchers”, telepaths are called “Pushers”, shape-shifters are called “Shifters”, healers are called “Stichers”, and people who can follow scents are called “Sniffers”, people who destroy things by yelling are called “Bleeders”, and people who can stay hidden are called “Shadows”. So, in this case, it would make sense that in this universe, people who can teleport are called “Jumpers”.
That last part is what links Push into this universe. Telekinetics and other people with powers are being hunted by a government organization just like Jumpers are.
The only difference is that the government organization in Push is lead by a guy who actually has powers of his own.
Image
The government organization is called Division. Division is a group of people with powers capturing other people with powers against their will so they can be used as weapons against things like other countries, law enforcement, or maybe even aliens (if Hancock exists in this world that would make sense).
Division could very well be the same government organization that we see in Jumper. Maybe they want to eliminate Jumpers but recruit everyone else because they feel Jumpers are too dangerous.
This movie also states that people with powers were initially noticed in 1945 and used in the second World War. It also makes it very clear that powers can be passed on through genetics just like in Jumper.
This movie mainly introduces us to the many other types of powers people can have in this universe.
It does not go too deep into the origin of the heroes, but we learn A LOT more about both “Movers” and the origin of the Super Powers in the next, most recent installment in this universe…
CHRONICLE (2012)
Image
This movie takes place in Seattle and follows the story of three teenage boys who go for a walk while they are at a party and find something of supernatural nature.
Image
They find an alien rock formation in a tunnel underground. They touch it, explore it, and much more. The next day, they wake up with telekinesis.
Image
At first they have fun with it, doing things like building Lego sets with their minds and tearing the limbs off of spiders. But then they seriously start to investigate their powers and unlike Nick Gant, practice using them a lot.
They even figure out how to levitate themselves and fly!
Image
One of the boys, Andrew (Dane Dehaan) lets his powers get the best of him, however, after Steve (Michael B. Jordan) falls out of the sky and dies while flying.
Andrew goes down a dark path and ends up going on a rampage, killing lots of people.
Image
This backs up what Elijah Price/Rolland said about people not being responsible enough to have powers. It would also explain why Hancock, the only non-human hero in this universe, is the most responsible one.
But the main thing Chronicle adds to this cinematic universe is the origin of the Super Powers. Alien rock formations like the one in Chronicle came to earth many years ago with Hancock’s alien race and have given people all over the world powers like the ones Hancock and his race possess.
And since the powers can also be passed on through genetics, more and more people will have powers without finding one of the rock formations.
The main villain in this universe is the government because they are hunting the people with these abilities and trying to eliminate them.
We can also establish from these 5 movies that there are five main kinds of Super Powers in this universe, as well as some other, less common ones:
◾Unbreakables (David Dunn, Hancock, Mary)
◾Jumpers (David Rice, Griffin)
◾Movers (Nick Gant, Andrew Detmer, Matt Garetty, Steve Montgomery)
◾Watchers (Cassie Holmes)
◾Pushers (Kira, Agent Henry Carver)
◾Shifters
◾Sniffers
◾Stichers
◾Bleeders
◾Shadows
Chronicle is most likely not the last installment in this universe though. This October 2014, we will see the release of Birdman, starring Michael Keaton. It could prove to be part of this universe as well.
There is also a film currently in development called Brilliance, which also involves people with Superpowers being hunted by the government.
And of course, sequels to Hancock, Jumper, and Chronicle have been in development for some time now so we could see those added to the universe as well. Or maybe even a crossover film!
Well, there you have it folks! The Original Superhero Movie Universe has been explained! Go watch all these movies for yourself and see if you can spot some connections of your own, and leave them in the comments section below!
I will make more updates if I notice new connections as well.
Bill Steele
Sep 25, 2014, 5:08:19 PM9/25/14
to
ideas over and over: the government or the general public are always
afraid of superpowered people. Goes back to Slan. Or there is someone
chasing them for their powers. Can't make it too easy for your heroes.
Next you'll be telling us that Amanda Waller is Samuel L. Jackson in drag.
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