The Baby Driver Universe

Expanded universes--for better or worse--are all anyone can spend their billions on. From Marvel's overt syncopating of stories to Pixar's famous fan-theory, we all love to tie disparate characters and stories together. But every once in a while, a group of characters come on the scene who can't help being more than who they may appear to be in a single film. This post is going to be heavy-laden with spoilers on a half-dozen films so abandon all hope of suspense, all ye who read on here. 

"Griff"

Jon Bernthal appears as Griff, a bro-styled bank robber who lives one moment to the next with a chip on both shoulders. And why shouldn't he? "Griff" is really Ted, the corrupt cop from Sicario who got the southwest kicked out of him by Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro. As a disgraced police officer who's wife left him, who can't see his daughter, and can't ever earn a living as a cop again, Griff/Ted moves to Atlanta and makes use of his police training to live on the other side of the law. He has nothing to lose, so he can lives each day likes his last because, as his final line in Baby Driver tells us "If you don't see me again, it's 'cause I'm dead."

"Doc"

Kevin Spacey portrays "Doc," a wealthy mastermind who plans heists down to every minute detail, then outsources the implementation to local criminals. He dresses in dark suits, works hard to hide an accent without seeming to, and is incredibly eloquent while showcasing his humble beginnings through speech. So who is he?

Former President Frank Underwood. 

Think about it. After Claire takes the presidency, Frank talks about how the real power is out in the private sector. Abandoned and betrayed by Claire, Frank returns to the south and gravitates to the closest center of power to Gaffney--Atlanta.What does Doc say at the end of the film? "I was in love, once." Obviously, the stone heart of Frank Underwood still holds affection for the now-president of the USA, his former wife.

In Atlanta, Frank establishes corrupt relations with the police, uses his Secret Service protection to find out everything about everyone he works with ("Your real name only has four letters, Leon") and hides just enough of his accent to not be immediately recognized by his voice. Why do you think he was so aghast when he realized baby had recorded him talking about nothing important? If you're not convinced, watch the film again and take note when "Doc" raps his ring against the table twice...a character trait House of Cards showcases repeatedly.

"Bats"

Gun-toting, ecccentric, and crazy as a bat, Jamie Foxx's character is actually a small time criminal trying to impress everyone and himself along the way. With big words, heist-prep monolouges, and a never-ending supply of terrifying psychosis, we have to wonder...Who is he really?

Motherf**ker Jones, from Horrible Bosses. 


Jones--who earned his name after he stole his mother's paycheck as a child, spent 10 years in jail for pirating an Ethan Hawke film. When he gets out, he immediately sets about establishing a persona of a hardened thug. When the heroes of Horrible Bosses discover that he really has no street cred, what does (Leon) Jones do? He moves back east to Atlanta, reinvents himself as Bats, and sets about making sure everyone he meets realizes he is the baddest motherf**ker in the valley.

"Buddy"

It's Don Draper, everybody. We all know it.

How many times in Mad Men did we hear Don Draper try to convince his mistress-of-the-moment to drop everything and run away with him? Looks like he finally did, breaking loose from SCDP with a dancer named Monica and living a life of wild abandon. Remember in the diner when Bats says he knows Buddy is a Wall-Street type who partied too hard, lost his wife and kids, and then started doing robberies to support his lifestyle? "Buddy" reacts in the same way we've seen Don Draper freak out every time someone figures out his secret--that he faked his death, changed his name, and started over. Who knew that Dick Whitman/Don Draper/Jason van Horn/Buddy would meet his end in a fiery parking garage?











Bonus Round:

"Darling"

Darling/Monica, Buddy's wife, is portrayed by Eiza Gonzalez. We don't learn much about her except that she was an exotic dancer who caught Buddy's eye. Where do you think they met? The Titty Twister--the bar in Mexico where Eiza Gonzalez's Santanico Pandemonium character danced in From Dawn Til Dusk...which also means Monica is an undead vampire and the hail of gunfire at the end of Baby Driver didn't really kill her...which means Buddy ended his life in vain...





Oh man, Baby Driver is actually William Shakespeare's Romeo+Juliet, which means...

Holy cow, Edgar Wright is Baz Luhrman!

(They've never been photographed together, so you can't say I'm not onto something.)