Phantasm’s Shout-Out in 'Ready Player One

Ernest Cline's novel, Ready Player One (2011), is brimming with nostalgic references to 1970s and 1980s pop culture, including a subtle yet notable nod to Don Coscarelli’s 1979 horror classic, Phantasm. The reference occurs when protagonist Wade Watts, exploring the virtual universe known as the OASIS, first glimpses the headquarters of the villainous corporation IOI:

"Looming directly ahead of us was the planet IOI-1, a massive chrome globe. It reminded me of the killer floating spheres in the Phantasm films."

This comparison isn't just a casual shout-out—it's a nerdy deep cut highlighting Phantasm’s delightfully gruesome signature: those shiny, murderous Sentinel spheres that fly around, drilling into skulls and spewing gore like horror-movie confetti. Wade casually dropping "Phantasm films" like they're mainstream fare proves he's not just dipping his toes but diving headfirst into cult horror territory.

Oh, and one other thing: In Steven Spielberg’s 2018 film adaptation, at Aech's hideout, you can spot a poster for Coscarelli’s 1982 pulp fantasy classic, The Beastmaster—another fun, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it nod to Coscarelli's cinematic legacy.