The Dark Universe is a series of linked films from Universal, featuring classic monster that they own the rights to. It’s their answer to all the Marvel films being interconnected and using each other to leapfrog to even bigger audiences.

Who will be in The Dark Universe?

It’s very early days for the franchise. The first film in the new universe (The Mummy) isn’t even out yet but through interviews we already know the next film Bride of Frankenstein and that The Invisible Man is on the cards.

Universal have also said that Dr Jekyll - Mr Hyde will feature as well as less well known monsters like The Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and slightly unusually the Phantom of the Opera. We’re not sure how 80s power ballads will fit into an action/horror franchise but we are excited.

What connects all the Universal Dark Universe films?

It’s a challenge to link all these diverse creatures and characters together but Universal have a solution. Prodigium, their answer to The Avengers. It’s a group led by Dr Jekyll who study and if they have to, destroy evil monsters.

Prodigium will work outside any government control and will do it’s best to make sure people don’t realise that real monsters exist. Sometimes doing whatever it takes.

What are the other fictional film universes?

The Marvel Universe

Marvel have championed interconnected movies. Starting with Iron Man who after his debut appeared as a cameo in The Incredible Hulk. Characters started appearing in each others films culminating in the smash hit The Avengers which took in over $1.519 billion in 2012.

It’s not just interconnected films either. Marvel produced TV shows as well starting with Agents of Shield set just after the events of The Avengers. Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, Daredevil and Luke Cage have all had their own shows and now they are combining together in The Defenders.

Meanwhile in the film world Spider Man has crossed over from Sony into Marvel thanks to Captain America: Civil War which means the only group of marvel characters who are still in a separate universe are the X Men - although Quicksilver has appeared in both.

The DC universe

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice started the DC universe off with Batman fighting Superman before (SPOILERS) they realised they could be friends. Also Wonder Woman appeared and was the best. This film had a poor critical reception and under-performed at the box office, but thanks to Wonder Woman breaking records for ticket sales and getting such good reviews the DC universe is still going.

Suicide Squad also contained a range of characters from the DC universe but was so awful it’s best if we just move on and forget it happened.

The Arrowverse

On TV DC are doing far better. The Arrow is a ratings smash and caused The Flash series to appear. They are both linked with characters appearing in each other’s shows. The universe has now extended to include Supergirl as well although it does involve some slightly confusing alternative universes. You can read about it here - Lucifer and Wonder Woman.

The TV version of the DC universe is currently separate from the film one (unlike Marvel) but this could change as the films do better.