Warning! Contains Spoilers For Apple TV+’s Dark Matter.
Summary
Christopher Nolan has never revisitedInceptionwith a sequel, but a newApple TV+sci-fi show could be its perfect spiritual follow-up. Of all themovies Christopher Nolan has directed,Inceptionis perhaps the only one that perfectly paves the way for a follow-up prequel, sequel, or spin-off. While a prequel could explore the origins and usage ofInception’s central dream machinein the military, a sequel could walk through Cobb and his team’s future dream exploration adventures. A spin-off, on the other hand, could dive deeper into the story of one of the main characters involved in Cobb’sInceptionmission.
Unfortunately, despite the expansion potential, Christopher Nolan seems uninterested in revisiting the film. SinceThe Dark Knightmovies are the only sequels he has worked on, the director seemingly has an unwritten rule of moving on to a whole new standalone project after finishing one film. Owing to this,Inception 2will likely never happen. However, an Apple TV+ show seems eerily similar toInceptionin more ways than one and can be enjoyed by anyone who loved the mind-bending Nolan flick.
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Inception & Dark Matter’s Similarities Explained
From Mind-Altering Drugs To Grieving Male Leads, The Two Share Many Story Beats
Apple TV+‘sDark Matterhas nothing to do with dream manipulation. However, likeInception,its main characters possess the technology to construct their own realities by injecting themselves with mind-altering drugs. While the characters inInceptionenter a dream state after taking strong sedatives, the ones inDark Matterinject themselves with a drug that shuts off their prefrontal cortex. Similarly,Inception’s characters use their imaginations to design their dreamscapes by accessing the dream world through the PASIV device. Meanwhile,Dark Matter’s charactersmanifest their realities through a technology called “The Box.”
Cobb’s arc is more redemptive inInception, but his failure to cope with the loss of his wife is what drives his story, like Jason’s inDark Matter.
LikeInception’s Cobb, one ofDark Matter’s main characters, Jason, also misuses the central technology to escape his reality and the harsh consequences of his own actions. Like Cobb, Jason also tries to hold on to a “version” of his wife he could not have, which leads to dangerous consequences. Cobb’s arc is more redemptive inInception, but his failure to cope with the loss of his wife is what drives his story, like Jason’s inDark Matter.Dark Matteralso plays with the idea ofdigging deep into one’s consciousness to manifest/incept ideas into the real world.
Inception & Dark Matter’s Parallels Are Not Coincidental
Dark Matter’s Author Was Inspired By Christopher Nolan’s Works
Since Apple TV+‘sDark Matteris based on a book written by Blake Crouch, andInceptionfollows an original storyline conceived by Christopher Nolan, the similarities between the two might seem coincidental. However, as Blake Crouch confirmed in an interview (viaPaul Semel), Christopher Nolan’s films, especiallyInception,were in the back of his head when he was penning downDark Matter. Despite drawing inspiration fromInception, Blake Crouch embraces his own curiosity and unique artistic vision by inclining more toward exploring the philosophical implications of some complex quantum physics concepts inApple TV+‘sDark Matter.
Dark Matter
Dark Matter (2024): Jason Dessen is thrust into an alternate reality where he must confront an ominous version of himself. His quest to return to his original life leads him on a challenging journey to reunite with his family, navigating the complexities of parallel existences.
