Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Leave the World Behind.
Many subtle easter eggs in Leave the World Behind suggest it unfolds in the same universe as Sam Esmail’s Mr. Robot. Starring Ethan Hawke, Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, and Myha’la Herrold, Netflix’s Leave the World Behind is a gripping apocalyptic thriller that initially promises a big reveal with its slow build-up but delivers something that is far more thought-provoking than one would expect from a movie about the end of the world. While at it, the film also entertains by dropping several easter eggs and references to other movies and shows.
While some of these easter eggs are mere namedrops, others hold immense narrative significance. For instance, Leave the World Behind‘s obsession with Friends is a direct reflection of its core theme surrounding the impact of media and technology on humanity. Even when it comes to the movie’s nods to Mr. Robot, there is more to them than meets the eye.
Leave The World Behind’s Ending Criticism Totally Misses The Point (& 1 Quote Proves It)
Leave the World Behind is getting divisive reactions from viewers and critics – the criticism misses the point of the movie’s overarching themes.
Mr. Robot References In Leave The World Behind Explained
In its runtime of 2 hours and 20 minutes, Leave the World Behind drops several intriguing Mr. Robot references. For instance, E-Corp’s logo can be spotted on several electronic gadgets in the film and can be seen on Julia Robert’s character’s laptop. In Mr. Robot‘s lore, E-Corp (labeled as Evil Corp by Elliot) is a conglomerate that not only manufactures laptops, tablets, and phones but also controls about 70% of the global consumer credit industry. In an early scene from the movie, Kevin Bacon’s character loads yellow Five/Nine survival kit tubs in his truck.
In another blink-or-miss moment from Leave the World Behind, audiences may also notice Irwing’s Beach Towel novel in the central house. Myha’la Herrold’s Ruth also talks about a hacking incident that led to the meltdown of a nuclear powerplant in New Jersey, which, like the Five/Nine reference, is another nod to Mr. Robot‘s Washington Township toxic waste scandal, which temporarily collapsed America’s economy in the show’s storyline. Considering how these throughlines between the show and movie are enough to establish they are set in the same universe, it is not surprising that even Sam Esmail confirmed it (via EW).
How Being Set In The Mr. Robot Universe Makes Leave The World Behind Even Better
Like Leave the World Behind‘s adult characters, Mr. Robot‘s Elliot is inclined towards blaming a few individuals and organizations at the top for all societal problems. However, the more Leave the World Behind progresses, the more Mahershala Ali’s George opens about how no one is in control during the apocalypse and how the “vast conspiracy explanation is lazy, and the truth is much more terrifying.” This allows Leave the World Behind to expand the ideas and vision set up by Mr. Robot by portraying how even leading forces like the Deus group that were seemingly pulling all the threads have little to no authority in a crumbling world.
Sources: EW
