This 90s Sci-Fi Thriller Can Be the Secret Prequel to Interstellar, Fans Say

Christopher Nolan 's Interstellar stormed theaters in 2014, and captivated us ever since. After almost 11 years, the movie is still huge and keeps expanding its fanbase. And every time we think we'd studied this movie through and through, a new theory emerges.

So, what if we told you there's another sci-fi masterpiece that might have laid the foundation for Nolan's space odyssey?

A film that, despite its own success, remains somewhat hidden. Well, that's Contact (1997) for you. And some fans truly believe that it could be the unofficial prequel to Interstellar.

Contact Is The Brilliant Story That Started It All

But before we get into the theory itself, we need to talk about Contact a little bit more.

Based on Carl Sagan's novel, Contact follows Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster), a scientist searching for extraterrestrial intelligence. And the truth is, this movie was way ahead of its time. We're not solely talking about its CGI (which still holds up pretty well), but about its whole approach to space exploration.

Just like the source material, Contact dives deep into the science and the philosophical questions that would come with discovering we are not alone in the universe.

Sounds familiar? Well, here we go.

Is Contact Really The Prequel To Interstellar?

The theory that Contact and Interstellar share the same universe is an interesting one, and not so improbable after all. When you look closer, these movies have some pretty wild connections that make you go “hmm... maybe?”

Redditor bipnoodooshup wrote:

“The two movies share the same actor, same sort of plot with the father/daughter, and one of the producers of Contact was involved with Interstellar. If you watch Contact first, then Interstellar, it even follows the plot of "this was humanity's first step, there will be others" that Arroway's Dad projection told her.”

And we see it, Contact could totally be setting up the groundwork for what happens in Interstellar.

You have to approach this with an open mind, though.

Contact is all about humanity's first major breakthrough in space communication, right? We discover we're not alone, and we take our first baby steps into understanding what's out there. Then fast forward to Interstellar, and we're actually ready to make those giant leaps through space ourselves.

Both movies have an amazing way of mixing real science with emotional storytelling. In Contact, we're dealing with radio signals and wormhole theory. Then Interstellar comes along and takes those concepts to the next level with black holes, time dilation, and fifth-dimensional beings.

The father-daughter relationship is another big parallel between these films. Contact has Ellie and her dad, and Interstellar gives us Cooper and Murph. Both stories explore how love can literally transcend space and time.

Where to Watch Contact and Interstellar?

We won't argue that this is some pretty amazing theory, yet whether or not Contact and Interstellar actually share the same universe doesn't really matter in the end. These stories are worth your time, and consequently, we advise you to watch Contact first, and then move on to our beloved Interstellar. This way, you can really increase the impact of both of them.

You can catch Contact on Fandango at Home, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV+, and Interstellar is available on Netflix.