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When it comes to the cinematic universes, Spike Lee was playing that game well before Marvel. The director has long threaded his characters through multiple films, mostly serving as Easter eggs to keen eyed fans. However, Lee reveals that “Inside Man” shares a pretty interesting, little connection with the stone cold classic, “Dog Day Afternoon.”

In an extensive interview with Vulture about his Netflix series “She’s Gotta Have It,” Lee touches upon the themes and characters that carry across his oeuvre, and details how his bank heist movie is connected with Sidney Lumet‘s picture:

….this is not the first time I’ve done something like that. I’ll give you an example: You may not notice, but in Jungle Fever, we see Buggin’ Out from Do the Right Thing, and he’s a homeless person! In that same movie, the two NYC cops who murdered Radio Raheem appear and almost arrest Wesley Snipes when he’s playfully joking around with his girlfriend. Those are the same cops! And another example: In Inside Man, when Clive Owen says, “Can we order pizza?” the pizza box says “Sal’s Famous Pizzeria.” And another thing for you: We found the actor who delivered the pizza in Dog Day Afternoon!

That’s the guy?

Same guy!

The pizza guy from Dog Day who says, “I’m a fucking star!” I had no idea that’s the same guy! I love that guy!

Yeah! He delivered the pizza in Inside Man too. He delivered pizza to two hostage situations in two banks!

That’s obviously a really important film for you, Dog Day Afternoon.

Oh, yeah. Sidney Lumet was no joke. We screened, for the actors and the crew, Dog Day, before we did Inside Man. That was our homage. Sidney was da man. I do love Sidney, and he supported me, too. God bless Sidney.

Almost every bank heist movie owes a pretty big debt to Lumet’s terrific movie, but “Inside Man” more than any is very loving tribute, while standing all on its own. At any rate, if you’re looking for a nifty double bill this long weekend, perhaps give “Inside Man” and “Dog Day Afternoon” a whirl.