Rami Malek’s 2015 drama Mr. Robot is hailed as one of the greatest shows in modern television history and it is not hard to see why. Interestingly enough, Mahershala Ali’s Netflix film will be taking place in the same universe as Mr. Robot.
Mr. Robot truly changed the face of television in many ways as the show tackled many themes that are prevalent in society right now. After all, the show is an allegory of society and shows off the power of political corruption, among other things.
Mahershala Ali’s Netflix Film Takes Place In Mr. Robot’s Universe
Sam Esmail’s latest venture into filmmaking, Leave the World Behind starring Mahershala Ali, marks his return since the success of Mr. Robot starring Rami Malek. The thematic parallels between the film and his acclaimed USA Network show are plain as day. The film alludes to a hacking incident in the tri-state area that nearly resulted in a catastrophic nuclear power plant meltdown, mirroring a critical plot point from Mr. Robot’s Season 4, notably the 11th episode titled “eXit.”
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter on December 11, Esmail confirmed that this connection was definitely intentional, as he wanted to weave a narrative that would tie in perfectly with the universe he created.
“It felt pretty natural, and to be honest with you, I didn’t just do it with Mr. Robot. There are little nods to everything I’ve worked on, from Homecoming and Comet to Robot. I fancy myself as creating my own little universe whenever I make a film, so I thought to myself, ‘Why not connect them all?’ It’s more fun that way.”
While shared universes are not a new concept, Esmail’s crossover from television to film introduces an intriguing dynamic that isn’t usually seen on television and films barring what fans are used to in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Therefore, fans appreciate what Esmail is trying to do in a big way.
How Rami Malek Saved Sam Esmail And Mr. Robot
As already established, Mr. Robot was Sam Esmail’s brainchild but it was not an easy show to write, let alone cast the appropriate actors for the complex and multi-dimensional characters. The most important character to get right from the start was Elliot Alderson, something that Esmail had a hard time over.
While speaking to Backstage, Sam Esmail revealed that he was tearing up scripts for Elliot Alderson’s character and had no idea who would suit the character. Thankfully, Rami Malek swooped in and saved the show.
“I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t know what I was looking for,” he says. “I was auditioning people, and a lot of great actors came in, [but] they were starting to sound very cold to me and so I started second-guessing the script. I felt like I was being lectured by this guy. I felt like the character was being too obnoxious. And then Rami came in and just auditioned with this vulnerability and this warmth that instead of me feeling cold and disconnected from the character, it made me want to reach out to him and hug him. It’s something that, once he did the audition, we all knew this was our guy.”
Mr. Robot concluded with its four seasons back in 2019, bringing an end to one of the greatest television shows in history that has laid the groundwork for many shows and movies of its kind to learn from.
