People have long been fascinated by the concept of parallel universes, with the 20th century seeing them become the subject of countless works of sci-fi and fantasy. Gradually, comic books and other works began to craft entire multiverses, which contained an infinite number of parallel universes. In recent years the concept of a multiverse has become more prevalent in film and TV, with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness being one of the most recent examples.
It's not just Marvel and DC that have embraced this concept though, as there are many other franchises out there that have created their own multiverses. Some of them may surprise you.
Once Upon A Time (2011 - 2018) - Like Any Story Book, It Has Many Chapters
This one may seem a little obvious, given this ABC series was all about different fairy-tale realms existing beyond our own. Yes, that interconnected structure of fantasy worlds can certainly be counted as a multiverse in its own right, but it goes deeper than that.
One of the key pieces of the show's mythology is the Once Upon a Time storybook that chronicles the stories of all the show's characters. However, in the later years of the show, it's discovered that there are hundreds of identical books, each detailing alternate versions of those characters. This puts a fantastical spin on a typically sci-fi concept.
Stargate (1994 - 2018) - Not Just a Gateway to Other Planets
Stargate is one of the most underrated, expansive sci-fi franchises of the past few decades. From the initial 1994 film, through the three hugely popular TV shows, up to the recently announced video game, this franchise has offered a rich and fully fleshed-out universe. Or should that be, universes?
That's right, it's easy to forget that in addition to the countless trips to other planets and even different galaxies, the franchise has also shown glimpses of parallel universes. Stargate: SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis featured multiple episodes that dealt with the topic, offering glimpses of the wider Stargate multiverse.
Ghostbusters (1984 - Present): Which Universe You Gonna Call?
Everyone knows that the Ghostbusters have existed across many forms and mediums. Foremost of course are the beloved original two films, their 2021 follow-up, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and its upcoming sequel. However, there's also the 2016 reboot and a slew of cartoons, video games and comic books. Speaking of which, IDW's long-running Ghostbusters comic book series actually established that all of these different Ghostbusters exist in different universes within a wider Ghostbusters multiverse.
These different teams have met up on occasion in crossover events, such as 2018's Crossing Over. However, whether we'll ever see any live-action multiversal shenanigans for the Ghostbusters remains to be seen.
Supernatural (2005 - 2020) - A Whole Multiverse of Monsters
While Supernatural may have started out as a "monster-of-the-week" type show, its mythology grew bigger with every season and eventually included a multiverse. From a Season 6 trip to a world where the Winchesters were just characters on a TV show, to the discovery of a post-apocalyptic version of Earth in Season 12, parallel universes were slowly introduced into the show's mythos.
Eventually, it was discovered that the world of Supernatural was the original universe before God went on to create countless others. Unfortunately, he also eventually went on to destroy them all in the show's final season, before setting his sights on the original universe.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003) - As if One Hellmouth Wasn't Bad Enough
Over its seven-season run, Buffy the Vampire Slayer established a world in which all manner of demonic dimensions existed. That's to say nothing of its spin-off show, Angel, or the slew of comics that have been published since it went off the air. However, it's the ongoing comic series that's been published by Boom! Studios since 2019, that's really opened up the concept of a Buffy Multiverse.
Their comics feature many of the same characters as the TV show, only in an updated, contemporary setting, with new characters added into the mix. It was eventually revealed that this universe and the TV universe are both part of the same multiverse, with crossovers occurring between the two. Who knows where things will go next?
Scooby-Doo (1969 - Present) - Scooby-Doo, Where (In The Multiverse) Are You?
The Scooby-Doo franchise is expansive, with countless interpretations of the Mystery Inc. gang existing across its 50+ year history. From comic books to video games, to both live-action and animated films, and a barrage of animated series, they range from the familiar and formulaic, to fresh reimaginings. But did you know that they all exist within a wider Scooby-Verse?
That's right, in 2019 DC's Scooby-Doo! Team-Up #50 featured the story, Crisis of Infinite Scoobys, which established that every version of the team hails from their own unique universe. It also introduced some wild new incarnations of Scooby, including steampunk and alien versions.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1984 - Present) - Cowabunga on Infinite Earths!
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are another childhood favourite that refuses to die, bouncing from one new iteration to another, with no sign of the franchise dying anytime soon. Like other entries on this list, they've retconned all of these disparate takes into a shared multiverse. However, they did it earlier in most.
The 2009 animated film, Turtles Forever, featured travel between universes and saw the Turtles of the 2003 and 1987 animated series, as well as the original black and white comic book, all come together. It also offered glimpses at dozens of other Turtle universes and established that the black and white Turtles were the "Prime" versions.
Power Rangers (1993 - Present) - It's Multi-Morphin' Time!
Another long-running franchise with multiple incarnations, Power Rangers has long embraced its ever-changing nature and the multitude of shows that have borne its banner. Characters have carried over from one series to another, there have been several crossover events and a series of distinct universes have been established. Some shows exist in a shared universe, while others exist in their own reality.
The Ranger multiverse was brought to the forefront during the 2018 comic-book event, Shattered Grid. This crossover saw an alternate, evil version of Tommy Oliver, going by the name of Lord Drakkon, attempting to conquer every Ranger in existence.
Pokemon (1996 - Present) Gotta Catch 'em All, In Every Universe
From the beginning, the Pokémon games have been all about duality, and that's only increased over the years, with games like Black and White being two versions of the same story. On top of that, there are the remake games (the most recent being last year's Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl), which have been established as being set in alternate universes to their predecessors.
However, the idea of a Pokémon multiverse was really made explicit in Pokémon: Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, with the introduction of interdimensional travel through Ultra Wormholes. They even saw the rise of a team of bad guys from across the multiverse - Team Rainbow Rocket.
Community (2009 - 2015) - Crisis on Infinite Greendales
A casual viewer might not understand how a sitcom about a community college could possibly have its own multiverse, but dedicated Community fans know that's one of the most believable things about this crazy show. In the fourth episode of Season Three, "Remedial Chaos Theory," we see how a simple plot plays out in six radically different ways, resulting in various levels of carnage.
With a simple roll of a die to determine who will answer the door to collect a pizza delivery, the audience witnesses the results play out across six different universes, culminating in "the darkest timeline". Thankfully, the show follows a seventh, less destructive path, but the episode's final scene confirms that the Darkest Timeline still exists out there.
