I was inspired to spell out some comparisons/similarities me and a few other Jedtavius fandom-goers made years ago back when the fandom was much more dead. At the time I had called it the "Jedtavius Circle" but I feel like there's a better name for it out there somewhere
So, I made a venn diagram to show all the weird similarities these films have with each other, and how I feel they are personally connected in a way that is so unique.
Since the image and the writing may be hard for some to access and not all the details I'd like to add will fit in the image, I will also do my best to explain these comparisons in text:
There are three films/franchises being compared here with their respective mlm ships:
1. Night at the Museum (Jedtavius)
2. Around the World in 80 Days (2004) (Phileas Fogg x Passepartout)
3. Shanghai Series (Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights) (Roy O' Bannon x Chon Wang)
What Night at the Museum and Around the World in 80 Days share is that they both have characters played by Steve Coogan that have implied or coded romantic connection or ships with another main character, that other character played by one of the other two actors listed.
What Night at the Museum and the Shanghai Series have in common is the exact same, except instead of Steve Coogan being shared by these films we have Owen Wilson.
And, much the same, for Around the World in 80 Days & Shanghai Noon/Knights we have the same comparison as for the other two (implied romantic connection and/or is commonly shipped with a character played by another one of these actors mentioned) this time with Jackie Chan.
But get this: something all these films share is that they are queer-coded or implied silly little historical comedies from the 2000s, which on top of everything else, links these films to one another in a way that I haven't seen in any other media before.
(Another fun fact mentioned in the diagram: Owen has a cameo in Around the World, technically meaning he was in all three films. This cameo is also believed to be where Owen & Steve first met.)
This is something that is still so cool to me and I never hear it talked about. Please feel free to share your thoughts or questions!
ok so in Shanghai Knights Owen Willson says to his companion "you have a sister? You never told me you had a sister!" And it's the exact same energy as Lightning in cars on the road where he's like "wait a minute you have a sister?"
If I had a nickel for every time Owen Wilson's character said "you have a sister" to his sidekick I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot but it's weird it happened twice.
An easter egg? I hope so. Or maybe just a phrase common enough to be said (at least) twice.
So I've been meaning to watch Shanghai Noon and it was available for rent on the tube site so I went there and then saw a suggested video that I read as "shanghai noon full movie".
"Well, don't mind if I do!"
It was the sequel but I watched it anyway since I couldn't remember if I'd seen it. Very cute, wished it had more western stuff but that was in the first movie, I get it.
What I really want to talk about is the part in the blooper reel where Owen is being very cute/flirty. I can't make gifs and these are 360p but when he licks his lips.... 👀