From the moment Reservoir Dogs first hit the big screen, it's been readily apparent that Quentin Tarantino wears his cinematic influences on his sleeve. Ever since, fans have scoured his films for references and Easter Eggs to other classic or contemporary movies, but hiding in plain sight was something even more interesting: a shared cinematic universe.

Anyone who's ever looked close enough at a Quentin Tarantino film has stumbled upon the secret he's been hiding in plain sight. Each of his movies is connected in some way, shape, or form, ranging from the in-universe TV show, Fox Force Five, to the Vega Brothers, who appear in iconic films like Pulp Fiction and the aforementioned Reservoir Dogs.

How Does Quentin Tarantino's Shared Universe Work?

As Movies Within Movies

Quentin Tarantino himself confirmed the interconnectivity of his universe during a conversation with an Australian news outlet in 2017. In this interview, Tarantino explains that there were, in fact, two universes he had created that acted in tandem together:

"Basically... when [the characters of Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction] go to the movies, Kill Bill is what they go to see. From Dusk Till Dawn is what they see."

In other words, Tarantino's shared universe comprises one universe within another. First, there's the "Realer-Than-Real World Universe," which includes films like Reservoir Dogs, True Romance, Pulp Fiction, Death Proof, Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained, and The Hateful Eight. Then, there's the "Movie Within a Movie Universe," which includes projects like Natural Born Killers, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Kill Bill.

There's only one notable exception to Tarantino's two-universe rule. According to the director, Jackie Brown doesn't exist within his shared universe. Instead, it's part of the Elmore Leonard Universe, which includes Steven Soderbergh's hit film Out of Sight. The direct connection between those two films is (outside of Leonard) Michael Keaton starring as Detective Ray Nicolette in both.

As for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, it occupies both universes simultaneously. Leonardo DiCaprio's Rick Dalton, Brad Pitt's Cliff Booth, and Margot Robbie's Sharon Tate all live in the Realer-than-Real World Universe. However, the movies and TV shows they make, shown frequently throughout the film, exist in the Movie-within-a-Movie Universe. By layering one universe on top of the other, Tarantino has created an intricate sandbox for himself to play in, and he's had a ton of fun throughout the years laying down a series of breadcrumbs for fans to make the connection.

The Vega Brothers Star in Two Separate Tarantino Films

In Reservoir Dogs, the audience discovers that Mr. Blonde's real name is Vic Vega. Two years later, Tarantino introduced a new character in Pulp Fiction named Vincent Vega. As indicated by Vic and Vincent's names, the connection between these two men runs deeper than problems with impulse control; they're both brothers.

Quentin Tarantino originally planned a spin-off film starring Michael Madsen and John Travolta together in their respective roles. The film would have provided a story set in Amsterdam meant to serve as a direct prequel to Pulp Fiction. Unfortunately, it never came to fruition, and now that Travolta and Madsen are three decades older, it probably never will.

The Scagnetti Family Connect Tarantino to Another Director

Brothers are a popular motif throughout Tarantino's shared universe. For instance, Seymour Scagnetti is spoken of but never seen in Reservoir Dogs as Mr. Blonde's parole officer. Instead, audiences met Scagnetti's brother in another film directed by a different filmmaker.

Jack Scagnetti appears in Natural Born Killers (based on a heavily revised screenplay by Quentin Tarantino) as a police officer hunting down the film's titular couple. The character is just as loathsome as Mr. Blonde makes his parole officer sound. Even more interestingly, Seymour Scagnetti's name from Reservoir Dogs was initially supposed to be something else: Craig Koons.

The Koon Family Are Some of Tarantino's Zaniest Characters

One of the most memorable scenes of any Tarantino film is the peculiar monologue about a gold pocket watch delivered by Christopher Walken in Pulp Fiction as Vietnam War veteran Captain Koons. All things considered, it might be one of the most iconic monologues in film history.

Tarantino further built upon the legacy of this Pulp Fiction scene by developing the Koons family line. In Django Unchained, one of the first bounties that Django successfully cashes in on is a man named Crazy Craig Koons, who is the great-great-grandfather of Walken's infamous character.

The Nash Family Are the Unluckiest Characters in Tarantino's Shared Universe

The Koon family has appeared in two of Tarantino's films, but another family has appeared in three: the Nash family. In Django Unchained, one member of the Smitty Bascall gang is named Gerald Nash. That family name also appears in Natural Born Killers as the surname of a victim whose death occurs on a TV report.

The Nash family goes back even further than that, though. The most infamous scene in Tarantino's directorial debut, Reservoir Dogs, involves Mr. Blonde torturing a police officer. That officer's name is Marvin Nash, adding one more layer of nuance to the cursed family.

The Dimmick Family Almost Appears On-Screen Together