Vince Gilligan Reveals the Sci‑Fi Films and TV Shows That Inspired Pluribus

Image: United Artists/courtesy Everett Collection

After a lengthy absence from science fiction, Vince Gilligan is returning to the form that helped launch his career. He cut his teeth on The X-Files (he’s credited with writing roughly 30 episodes) and later wrote the screenplay for Will Smith’s superhero comedy Hancock. From 2008 onward, however, Gilligan concentrated on the Breaking Bad universe. This November he returns to genre television with Pluribus, his new series for Apple TV.

Details about Pluribus are being tightly guarded. The promotional trailers and teasers have been deliberately elliptical — one brief clip shows a woman alone in an office late at night taking doughnuts from a box labeled “Help yourself!”, tasting one, and then placing it back. Critics have been instructed not to divulge plot specifics, only that the story ignites when our contemporary world undergoes a consequential, reality-altering shift.

Because Gilligan couldn’t discuss plot or episode development ahead of the premiere, we asked a different, harmless question: what science-fiction or horror films and series should viewers revisit before watching Pluribus?

“Both the 1956 and 1978 versions of Invasion of the Body Snatchers — those are essential touchstones,” Gilligan told Polygon. “The Twilight Zone is always my go-to. And John Carpenter’s The Thing — I appreciate both incarnations, but Carpenter’s version is especially close to my heart.”

If you follow science fiction or horror, the lineage of influences on Pluribus will feel familiar. Gilligan’s references are intentionally conspicuous — he wanted the series to play with the conventions of the genres themselves.

“I set out to collect every recognizable science-fiction and horror trope I could think of, then flip them on their heads,” Gilligan explained. “That’s what delighted me.”

Put simply: Pluribus is made with genre aficionados in mind. If you’re primarily a Breaking Bad fan and less steeped in sci-fi, you might find a little preparatory viewing useful — and Gilligan has helpfully suggested a viewing list.

Pluribus premieres on Apple TV on Nov. 7, 2025.

Source: Polygon