Crossover (fiction)

Film and video terminology A poster for a crossover film, King Kong vs. Godzilla A crossover or cross-over is the placement of two or more otherwise discrete fictional characters, settings, works, or universes into the context of a single story. They can arise from legal agreements between the relevant copyright holders (known as intercompany crossovers), common corporate ownership or unofficial efforts by fans. This is different from a spoof, where one discrete character, setting, or universe, copies another character, setting, or universe, often in a comedic manner. Background Official Crossovers often occur in an official capacity in order for the intellectual property rights holders to reap the financial reward of combining two or more popular, established properties. In other cases, the crossover can serve to introduce a new concept derivative of an older one. Another intention is to give fictional characters more emotional credibility and thus increase immersion for the fans. Crossovers generally occur between properties owned by a single holder, but they can, more rarely, involve properties from different holders, provided that the inherent legal obstacles can be overcome. T