The art of spotting Pixar Easter eggs  or hidden messages in the animated films  is a favorite fan pastime, but one public relations specialist and blogger recently took it to the next level, publishing a lengthy explanation of how every Pixar movie is connected via a sometimes very thin thread.

"The Pixar Theory," as Jon Negroni calls it, includes every Disney-Pixar feature film to date, from 1995's Toy Story to last month's beastly prequel, Monsters University.

"Every movie is connected and implies major events that influence every single movie," Negroni wrote in a blog post introducing his project, which got its start in September thanks to a Cracked Web series "After Hours." In the video debate, four Cracked staffers carry on a stream-of-consciousness conversation about why Pixar movies all take place in the same universe and seem to focus on preparing for the robot apocalypse.

Ultimately, when the Cracked staff's explanations become flimsy, the group gives up the theory. But that's when Negroni stepped in.

"I started thinking about how every single movie could potentially be connected," he told PCMag. "My friends and I loved talking about it, and we would frequently joke about how intricate my ideas were starting to get. Before I knew it, I had found a way to reasonably connect them all."

Beginning and ending with the medieval Brave, the twisty-turny timeline throws the entire Pixar universe into a tizzy, but somehow, it all comes together in a mind-blowingly real way. Any fan will understand the ebb and flow, which moves swiftly from one flick to another, all jumbled from their release date to fit into the timetable Negroni has weaved.

"One of my lifelong dreams has always been to write something that millions of people would love. I just never thought it would happen this soon," the 22-year-old explained. "That said, I think the success of this theory has very little to do with me and much more to do with the love people have for these amazing films."

At least one Pixar employee has seen Negroni's theory, based on a "pretty hilarious, albeit sarcastic" comment. But the creator never expected the animation company to take his hypothesis seriously.

"I like to think they've read the theory and thought, 'Wow. Someone actually figured it out,'" he said. "Of course they could also say, 'Wow. Someone has way too much time on their hands.'"

Pixar did not immediately respond to PCMag's request for comment. But Cars Legacy Guardian Jay Ward may have given up a company secret to Jalopnik: "It was all thought out in the beginning. It was all Steve Jobs's master plan," he joked. "It's all about selling the iPhone."

Whether or not a decades-old mystery is ever confirmed, The Pixar Theory will live on as future films are released (the upcoming The Good Dinosaur is likely another puzzle piece). It may even branch out to include the famed Pixar shorts, some of which fans have already connected to other aspects of the timeline.

Negroni stands proudly on a platform with folks who meticulously analyze Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, find the subconscious political implecations of The Wizard of Oz, and build a universe that connects every fictional 1980s television character in one fictional autistic boy's mind. And while he didn't intend to follow their lead, Negroni has accepted his place among the entertainment conspiracy theorists.

"When it comes to the idea of hidden continuity, I think people grasp onto it, not just because of their love for these mediums," he said, "but also because writers and animators put enough detail and personality in their works to make us fans believe it's possible."

Check out an abridged version of The Pixar Theory in the timeline below, and check out the full philosophy online.

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