Fan theory claims that ‘Barbie’ is connected to ‘The Lego Movie,’ but it goes even deeper

While Mattel prepares its own toy cinematic universe, a brand new fan theory claims that it’s already here, and that Barbie is merely the latest instalment. Greta Gerwig‘s latest blockbuster may have connections to previous family-friendly films, and the evidence checks out.

The latest theory surrounds Will Ferrell‘s character, the unnamed CEO of Mattel. It claims that his passion for toys stemmed from a scene from The LEGO movie, where he had an entire LEGO city built in his basement. The theory also suggested that the CEO could be the “Man upstairs” because they look “exactly alike.” But it doesn’t stop there.

The theory further suggested that the CEO’s childlike nature and immaturity could stem from his past when he was raised as a Christmas Elf in the North Pole. Yes, this toy universe has a prologue through the 2003 Christmas movie, Elf, and how Buddy was able to create a LEGO building in just one night, hence the LEGO city in his basement.

This theory somewhat makes sense if you think about it. Both the CEO and “the man upstairs” don’t have names. And if you look at their skills and personalities, it’s not too far-fetched that this person was someone who manufactured toys for Santa Claus in the past. Unfortunately, we do need to poke a hole here; as the ending of Elf showed that Buddy’s first child was a daughter. This contradicts the information shown in The LEGO Movie 2, where he has an older son.

However, not many are convinced that this could be called “the toy universe,” especially due to how far apart these films were and that LEGO and Barbie came from different companies. Instead, people saw the possibility of a “Will Ferrell cinematic universe,” and that the actor’s roles may have some unintentional connections with each other.

This isn’t the first time Barbie has found connections in other films. Gerwig confirmed that there is an “unlikely connection” between Barbie and Oppenheimer through the mention of a fictitious “Proust Barbie” and how Marcel Proust was J. Robert Oppenheimer’s favorite writer. Sure, it’s not a connection in the same vein as the fan theory above, but it’s something.

Barbie is now showing in theaters.