History Main / ExpandedUniverse

* WebOriginal/RedAlert3Paradox

* The GameMod ''WebOriginal/RedAlert3Paradox'' has an Expanded Universe consisting of fan-made factions with the goal of building them into their own game mod.

* Franchise/StarWarsLegends -- Page for the ''Star Wars'' EU.

* Franchise/StarWarsExpandedUniverse -- Page for the new ''Star Wars'' EU.
* Franchise/StarWarsLegends -- Page for the old ''Star Wars'' EU.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

Compare AdaptationExpansion, which concerns never-before-seen developments of certain aspects in a ''retelling'' of one specific work or set of works in a franchise when they're adapted into another medium. See also RestrictedExpandedUniverse.

* RolePlay/RedAlert3ParadoxExpandedUniverse

* GameMod ''VideoGame/RedAlert3Paradox'' has an Expanded Universe ([[RolePlay/RedAlert3ParadoxExpandedUniverse TVT page here]]). It consists of fan-made factions with the goal of building them into their own game mod.

See also {{sequel}}s, {{prequel}}s, {{interquel}}s and {{spinoff}}s for works that share same {{continuity}} ''and'' the same medium as the primary work (i.e. a VideoGame with a {{prequel}} game, or an {{anime}} series that spins off another series).

* Franchise/{{Warhammer 40000 Expanded Universe}}

* Many of Creator/{{CLAMP}}'s works are set in a single universe, ''Manga/XxxHolic'' being the central hub where many other characters cameo and taking place at the same time that ''Manga/TsubasaReservoirChronicle'' ; the two series are regularly referencing each other (for exemple, the same conversation can sometime be seen with a different point of view). ''Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle'' also introduces TheMultiverse concept when the protagonists meet [[AlternateSelf characters]] from other CLAMP works in {{alternate universe}}s (such as an organic [[Manga/{{Chobits}} Chii]], a princess [[Manga/CardCaptorSakura Tomoyo]] or a happy couple [[Manga/{{X 1999}} Sorata & Arashi]]), potentially meaning that all CLAMP mangas are in the same multiverse.

* ''Franchise/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica'' has developed a sizable one. In addition to [[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica the original anime]] and its movie sequel ''[[Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion The Rebellion Story]]'', there are the manga {{Spin Off}}s ''Manga/PuellaMagiKazumiMagica'', ''Manga/PuellaMagiOrikoMagica'', ''Manga/PuellaMagiSuzuneMagica'', ''Manga/PuellaMagiTartMagica'', the spinoffs ''for'' each of these spinoffs, a [[VideoGame/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaPortable video game adaptation]] which functions as [[AllThereInTheManual the manual]] for the franchise, the prequel "A Different Story", and countless minor features that only hardcore fans would be aware of.

** ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' had a two-volume prequel, the OELManga ''Legends of the Dark Crystal'', via {{Creator/Tokyopop}} over 2007–10. Archaia Publishing introduced its own prequel trilogy, ''The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths'', in 2011; that was overseen by the film's production designer Brian Froud. This was later followed by ''Power of the Dark Crystal'' in 2017, an adaptation of a sequel film that ended up stuck in DevelopmentHell, which gained a sequel in 2018 titled ''Beneath the Dark Crystal''. Finally, as a way of introducing the setting of the 2019 prequel series ''Series/TheDarkCrystalAgeOfResistance'', four Dark Crystal prequel novels were released between 2016 and 2019, though certain elements and events of their shared story vastly differed.
** ''{{Film/Labyrinth}}'' had a OELManga sequel from {{Creator/Tokyopop}}, the four-volume ''Manga/ReturnToLabyrinth'', over 2006–10. Creator/ArchaiaEntertainment is working on a prequel presenting the origin story of fan-favorite [[Music/DavidBowie Jareth the Goblin King]]; while quality concerns are keeping that in DevelopmentHell for now, this hasn't stopped one-shot stories from appearing in the company's Free Comic Book Day compilations ("Hoggle and the Worm" in 2012, and a Sir Didymus story in 2013). Interestingly, the planned prequel won't be compatible with ''Return to Labyrinth''. This eventually emerged as ''Labyrinth: Coronation'', which revealed Jareth as having been another baby taking into the Labyrinth and his mother trying to solve the maze.

* ''Film/{{Tron}}'' spent years as a CultClassic, but its revival [[OlderThanTheyThink began in 2003]] with ''[[VideoGame/TronTwoPointOh TRON 2.0]]'' and the ''Ghost in the Machine'' graphic novel (now CanonDiscontinuity). The "canon" timeline now includes both ''Film/{{Tron}}'' and ''Film/TronLegacy''. It also contains the ''Betrayal'' graphic novel, the ''Flynn Lives'' AlternateRealityGame, ''VideoGame/TronEvolution'' (and ''Tron Battle Grids'' in that Jalen was said by Word of God to be the champion of that game), and the animated series ''WesternAnimation/TronUprising''.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has many novels and comic books written by writers of the series that are of varying apocryphal status, and a [[Creator/JossWhedon Whedon-helmed]] comic-book series (along with a similar comic-book series for its {{spinoff}} series ''Series/{{Angel}}'') that's considered the {{canon}} post-television storyline.

* Various settings originally created for ''{{TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons}}'' have been expanded beyond game sourcebooks and adventures with novels, video games, comics, etc. Most prominently ''{{Literature/Dragonlance}}'', which is outright better known for its novels (the first trilogy of which are considered outright classics of fantasy literature – not just ''D&D'', ''all'' fantasy novels) and the ''{{TabletopGame/ForgottenRealms}}'', which even got a movie.

* The Franchise/BattleTechExpandedUniverse: A long series of sci-fi novels, a pair of VideoGame {{spinoff}}s, and a WesternAnimation series.

* [[Creator/BlizzardEntertainment Blizzard]] ''loves'' this trope:

** Both ''VideoGame/{{Starcraft}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Diablo}}'' have a handful of books, comics, short stories and animated shorts that either explore the background of main characters or simply narrate interesting events from each game's setting.

* The ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series has built up an increasingly large Expanded Universe over time, particularly with regard to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'', which, in addition to its {{prequel}} and {{spinoff}} [[VideoGame games]], has the ''[[Anime/FinalFantasyVIIAdventChildren Advent Children]]'' movie, two {{anime}} OVA's and several novellas. There's also the ''Legend of the Crystals'' {{anime}} OVA, which takes place 200 years after ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyV'', and the ''Anime/FinalFantasyUnlimited'' {{anime}} series and the ''Anime/FinalFantasyTheSpiritsWithin'' movie (though their relationship to the [[VideoGame games]] is mostly thematic).

* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}''. A bunchload of comic books. A number of text stories. A handful of {{video game}}s. And that's not even counting that not all the cartoons are in the same {{continuity}}. Many fans are split over what the primary source really is: the original cartoon is named as such by most, but many others choose the original comic series instead, or the British version thereof, with mixing-and-matching becoming increasingly popular. The term ''{{canon}}'' is hard to apply here: It all happened, but didn't all happen in the same timeline. And with all the other [[{{Continuity}} continuities]] created since, it's become an expanded ''multiverse''.
** ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' itself is an example of an Expanded Universe. The TV series, due to the expense of CGI, could only have a limited roster of characters, which meant that most of the [[MerchandiseDriven toyline didn't get to be in it]]. The later IDW ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' comics exploited this situation by using all the toy-only characters they could, as well as some from the Japanese-only ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars II'' and ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars Neo'' shows-albeit chronally displaced or on Cybertron, so the TV series and the comics didn't clash.

** A lot of [=DreamWorks=] films have gotten their own tv shows, most of which air on {{Creator/Nickelodeon}}.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' has a comic book series and four DTV movies, all of which served as a continuation of the television series before it was {{Uncanceled}}. The comic book is still ongoing though, and may be an [[RestrictedExpandedUniverse entirely]] [[AlternateContinuity different continuity]] at this point.

* ''Film/MenInBlack'': In addition to novelizations of the first two films, two original novels were released, ''The Green Saliva Blues'' and ''The Grazer Conspiracy'', set after the first film and featuring Jay and Elle.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'''s spin-off ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' has its own expanded materials in the form of novels, magazine strips, and audios. Perhaps the most interesting one so far is the magazine strip "Shrouded", penned by Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones's actor). [[spoiler:Our Ianto is quite dead, but an evil Ianto from an alternate timeline is very much alive, and saw the funeral. Is this {{Canon}}?]]
* The novel-based ''Franchise/StarTrekExpandedUniverse'', published by Simon & Schuster, primarily carries forward the future history of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'', ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'', and ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. It's been given full rein over [[Franchise/StarTrek Trek]] stories post-''Nemesis'', as it's likely that version of the [[Franchise/StarTrek Trek]] universe won't appear on-screen again. The ''Franchise/StarTrek'' Expanded Universe most recently includes a fan series called ''[[http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.12/startrek.html Star Trek: New Voyages]]'', which is attempting complete the "five year mission" of [[Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries the original series]]. It's being supported by a number of people with professional links to the official series runs, most notably Walter Koenig and Creator/GeorgeTakei, who reprise their roles of Chekov and Sulu, respectively.

* Compared to many other attractions in the Ride/DisneyThemeParks, ''Ride/TheHauntedMansion'' has a very robust expanded universe, having spawned [[Film/TheHauntedMansion2003 a film]] with [[Film/HauntedMansion2023 another in production]], a [[Film/MuppetsHauntedMansion Muppet crossover special]], a video game, multiple comic mini-series, and several books.

* There are select fans of ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' that consider the databooks as Expanded Universe. Following the manga's conclusion, a series of spin-off novels is being released, the first of which focuses on Kakashi's life [[spoiler:between the war's end and his becoming the Sixth Hokage.]]

* ''ComicBook/TheSmurfs'' is actually the spin-off of a less known Creator/{{Peyo}} comic book: ''ComicBook/JohanAndPeewit''. Since their first appearance in ''La Flûte à six schtroumpfs'' the two series referenced each other multiple times and the Smurfs tag along Johan and Peewit in some other adventures. The [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs1981 cartoon]] even has multiple episodes centered around the duo.

* The ''WesternAnimation/KungFuPanda'' movies have one in the form of Direct-To-Video specials and [[WesternAnimation/KungFuPandaLegendsOfAwesomeness a television series]].
** ''WesternAnimation/HowToTrainYourDragon'', another Creator/DreamWorks franchise, also has a [[WesternAnimation/DragonsRidersOfBerk television series]] and a few straight-to-DVD specials.
** A lot of Creator/DreamWorks films have gotten their own tv shows, most of which air on {{Creator/Nickelodeon}}.

[[caption-width-right:350:The movies may show you only about [[TheLawOfConservationOfDetail a dozen planets]]; but the [[Franchise/StarWars galaxy far, far away]] is in fact a [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200813150950/http://starwarsrpg.pettycomp.net/Images/galactic-map.jpg pretty large place.]]]]

* Compared to many other attractions in the Ride/DisneyThemeParks, ''Ride/TheHauntedMansion'' has a very robust expanded universe, having spawned [[Film/TheHauntedMansion a film]] with another in production, a [[Film/MuppetsHauntedMansion Muppet crossover special]], a video game, multiple comic mini-series, and several books.

* ''Franchise/DotHack'' started as [[OneGameForThePriceofTwo four]] [[VideoGame/DotHackR1Games games]], an [[Anime/DotHackSign anime]], a [[Anime/DotHackLiminality 4 episode OVA]], and a [[LightNovel/DotHackAIBuster light novel]]. Now its {{canon}} alone has 5 novels[[labelnote:*]]Epitaph of Twilight,[[LightNovel/DotHackAIBuster AI Buster]], Zero, Another Birth, and Cell[[/labelnote]], 4 Manga[[labelnote:*]][[Manga/DotHackLegendOfTheTwilight Legend of The Twilight]], Alcor, GnU, and Quantum I(Introduction)[[/labelnote]], 5 games[[labelnote:*]][[VideoGame/DotHackR1Games IMOQ]], [[VideoGame/DotHackGU G.U.]], Link, Versus, and [[SpiritualSuccessor Guilty Dragon]][[/labelnote]], 4 OVA[[labelnote:*]]Intermezzo, Liminality, Returner and Thanatos Report[[/labelnote]], 3 animes[[labelnote:*]][[Anime/DotHackSign SIGN]], Roots, and [[Anime/DotHackQuantum Quantum]][[/labelnote]], 2 movies[[labelnote:*]]Trilogy and Beyond The World[[/labelnote]], and a [[http://www.cc2.co.jp/hack_bullet/ web novel]]. And that's not even mentioning the multitude of uncanon titles, artbooks, and guidebooks.

* ''Franchise/{{Disgaea}}''’s Expanded Universe, the LightNovel/DisgaeaNovels, has currently 15 books. It introduces new family members of the game’s cast and is plays out like traditional ''Disgaea'' crossed with the HaremGenre.

[[caption-width-right:350:The movies may show you [[TheLawOfConservationOfDetail a dozen planets]]; but the [[Franchise/StarWars galaxy far, far away]] is in fact a [[https://web.archive.org/web/20200813150950/http://starwarsrpg.pettycomp.net/Images/galactic-map.jpg pretty large place.]]]]

* ''ComicBook/TheSmurfs'' is actually the spin-off of a less known Creator/{{Peyo}} comic book: ''ComicBook/JohanAndPeewit''. Since their first appearance in ''La Flûte à six schtroumpfs'' the two series referenced each other multiple times and the Smurfs tag along Johan and Peewit in some other adventures. The [[WesternAnimation/TheSmurfs cartoon]] even have multiple episodes centered around the duo.