Are Star Wars, Indiana Jones and ET set in the same universe?
In 1977, the American filmmaker George Lucas established himself as a heavyweight of the New Hollywood wave with the first movie of his era-defining franchise, Star Wars. Titled A New Hope, this first instalment was an instant global phenomenon, ushering in a golden age for sci-fi cinema.
Over the next six years, Lucas would release two further episodes to round out his initial trilogy. These movies are by far the most iconic entrants to the Star Wars universe but a mere drop in the ocean when one considers the interminable prequels, sequels, spin-off series, video games and merchandise the franchise has incited.
As if this wasn’t enough, it seems that Lucas and his New Hollywood pals may have extended the Star Wars universe in two other, less overt directions: Indiana Jones and E.T. If you’re open to an evidence-backed conspiracy, then strap yourselves in.
In 1981, Steven Spielberg released the first movie of his Indiana Jones franchise, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Based on a story written by Lucas and Philip Kaufman, the Indiana Jones movies present the titular character as an early 20th-century architect. Granted, this is somewhat far-removed from sci-fi sagas in a galaxy far away, but a handful of sneaky Easter eggs attest to the existence of Star Wars in the future of Indiana Jones’ future.
The most obvious of these Easter eggs arrived in Raiders of the Lost Ark; while Jones retrieves the Ark of the Covenant from the Well of Souls, ancient hieroglyphics can be seen on the wall behind him. Among the ancient symbols are engravings of the friendly robots, C-3PO and R2-D2. Elsewhere in the movie, another engraving depicts the Star Wars scene when Leia uploads the Death Star plans to R2-D2. In 1984, the follow-up, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, also featured a nightclub that Jones visits called Club Obi-Wan, a clear reference to the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Of course, these are most likely harmless little jokes played by Lucas and Spielberg, but the conspiracy gains credibility when one accounts for the sci-fi traverse in 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and the time travel element of 2023’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. Perhaps Indiana Jones is a long-lost ancestor of Han Solo.
So, where does E.T. fit into this chaotic equation? Beyond the fact that Star Wars is positively heaving with aliens and that Indy encounters evidence of alien activity in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the Easter bunny was notably busy on the set of the 1982 Spielberg classic.
In E.T., the titular alien is dressed in a sheet on Halloween and furtively escorted across the neighbourhood. While walking along with Elliott, he passes a child dressed as Yoda, whom he recognises and begins to walk towards, murmuring, “Home, home, home”. Furthermore, in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, several aliens bear a striking resemblance to E.T.
Whether it was intentional or not, I think you can agree that Spielberg and Lucas have made it very possible that E.T., Indiana Jones and Star Wars occurred in the same universe. Although, when you make time travel and intelligent extraterrestrials a reality, anything is possible.
