17 Fanboy Movies You Must See Before Watching 'Ready Player One'
If you love pop culture references, "Ready Player One" is basically the perfect movie for you. This upcoming Steven Spielberg film features iconic characters and objects from all sorts of beloved Hollywood favorites, including some from Spielbergo's IMDB. If you want to make sure you can spot them all, make sure you watch every movie on this list.
'King Kong' (1933)
Everyone's favorite giant ape can be seen swinging through the buildings of a digital New York City in the trailers. And if that's not reason enough to watch "King Kong," consider also that it's a beloved classic with a surprisingly modest run time.
'2001: A Space Odyssey' (1968)
This Stanley Kubrick classic may be one of the most parodied films of all time. "Ready Player One" is hardly the first movie to lampoon the iconic stargate sequence at the end of the film. In this case, that sequence inspires the transition effect that happens whenever the stars of "Ready Player One" plug into OASIS and enter the digital realm.
'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' (1971)
The teaser trailer for "Ready Player One" features a slowed-down rendition of the song "Pure Imagination," a not-so-subtle reminder that the film's plot shares a lot in common with "Willy Wonka." Both revolve around an intrepid hero journeying through a wondrous landscape -- and earning the support of an eccentric benefactor.
'E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial' (1982)
While the "One" the novel is crammed full of references to Steven Spielberg's work, the filmmaker has noted his reluctance to toot his own horn while directing the film. That said, we wouldn't be surprised to see a few references slip in. A secret teaser for the film features footage of several Spielberg classics, including 1982's "E.T."
'Tron' (1982)
"Ready Player One" shares some pretty obvious similarities with both "Tron" films, as they also feature an entire world and civilization that exists in the digital space. The Grid's brightly lit aesthetic looks to have a pretty clear influence on this movie.
'Christine' (1983)
One of the major set pieces in "Ready Player One" involves a massive race, where each racer is driving a car pulled from one pop culture franchise or another. Stephen King's infamous killer car will be among them. And given how much hero Wade Watts is a fan of King's books, we doubt this will be the only King reference for fans.
'Back to the Future' (1985)
We may never see another entry in the "Knight Rider." Because why not?
'RoboCop' (1987)
The first trailer for "Ready Player One" features a billboard advertising Delta City, the setting of the "RoboCop" movies. It remains to be seen if the film will include other references to that franchise, but we suspect that will be the case.
'Akira' (1988)
Even people who haven't seen this anime classic probably recognize Shotaro Kaneda's iconic red motorcycle. This futuristic bike can also be seen during the epic race sequence, and we don't envy anyone trying to outrace this speed demon.
'Say Anything' (1989)
Another major set piece in "Ready Player One" involves an epic ground battle, which involves all manner of movie, comic book, and video game heroes. (From Freddy to Joker). But what stands out the most about that sequence is that Wade can be seen rallying his troops by hoisting a boombox. This act mimicks the most iconic moment from this 1989 Cameron Crowe movie. That's as good an excuse as any to give it another watch.
'Jurassic Park' (1993)
However, expect at least one reference to "Jurassic Park," with the hungry T-Rex menacing the OASIS racers.
'The Matrix' (1999)
If "Ready Player One" shares the DNA of any one film, it's definitely "The Matrix." In both cases, you have a hero escaping the mundane world and becoming a a sort of digital messiah. We don't know if the film will drop any overt references to "The Matrix," but Warner Bros. has had no problem allowing some of its other big properties to be harnessed.
'The Iron Giant' (1999)
The titular hero of this beloved animated film looks to be a major player in "Ready Player One." The Giant can be seen at several points in the trailer, stomping his way through a pop culture-infested battlefield.
The 'Lord of the Rings' Trilogy (2001-03)
Gandalf the Grey is among many pop culture icons assembled for "Ready Player One's" epic battle sequence. But that's not the only reason to re-watch these fantasy epics beforehand. There are a number of parallels between Wade's quest to unlock the secrets of OASIS and Frodo's quest to destroy the One Ring.
'Tron: Legacy' (2010)
Tron is enough of a visual influence on "Ready Player One" that it's well worth watching the sequel as well as the original. "Ready Player One" features a bar sequence that reminds us quite a bit of the one from "Tron: Legacy." The "Tron" light cycles seem like obvious inclusions for the big race sequence, but that depends on whether Disney is willing to join in on the crossover fun.
'Mad Max: Fury Road' (2015)
Unsurprisingly, Max Rockatansky's battered but iconic vehicle is among the many recognizable cars in the trailers. We're also hoping Spielberg will have taken a few cues from George Miller's directing approach here, as "Fury Road" boasts some of the most impressive and explosive car chases ever put to film.
'Justice League' (2017)
The "Ready Player One" trailers are practically brimming with cameos by DC Comics characters, including members of the Justice League and villains like Joker, Harley Quinn, and Deathstroke. Watching "Justice League" might help get you in the mood. It's not the best DC movie out there, but it's much better than most of the DCEU.
