Magic in popular culture

This page documents notable sightings or mentions of Magic: The Gathering in the popular culture.

Movies

The Haunted Mansion (2003)

Approximately 10 minutes into the movie 2 posters and 6 cards can be seen on the wall.

Spider-man (2002)

In one scene, set in Peter Parker's bedroom, a poster for the Invasion set can be seen on the wall:

“	Seriously though, movie production designers will often place props into a scene to create a more realistic environment. The producers of the Spider-Man movie thought Peter Parker would be the type of person who would play Magic. In December 2000 the Spider-Man movie production team contacted us looking for Magic and D&D items to place in Peter Parker's bedroom. I jumped at the chance to get Magic products in a sure-to-be blockbuster movie about one of the best superheroes ever. That same day I sent a package of cards, novels, binders, and posters off to Columbia Pictures. We would have to wait over a year to find out if they used any of the items we sent. In the September 2001 issue of Wizard Magazine, a sneak peek look at Peter's movie set bedroom confirmed the use of a D&D poster but there was no mention of anything from Magic. When the movie was released we were very excited to see they had used an Invasion poster in Peter's bedroom. We did not pay a fee for the placement of the posters in the movie, although that is a very common practice in the entertainment industry.	”
—Scott Rouse, Magic Marketing Manager

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

Drake Stone in The Sorcerer's Apprentice

The 2010 Disney movie The Sorcerer's Apprentice had a Magic tie-in. One of the characters in the movie is Drake Stone, played by Toby Kebbell, who is sponsored by Wizards of the Coast. He's such a celebrity that in the movie he even appears on cards. Instead of just mocking up regular cards, Magic R&D was called upon to make new cards for Drake Stone's appearance. They even made him a Planeswalker.

Television

G4

The Screen Savers

• March 18, 2005 - The first segment of the show featuring Magic included DCI Program Manager Scott Larabee explaining the basic mechanics and history of the game. The second segment followed the team of Osyp Lebedowicz, Gerard Fabiano, and John Fiorillo as they played in Pro Tour Atlanta in 2005.

Attack of the Show

• Episode #1448 (November 12, 2010) - Host Kevin Pereira comically displays a chest full of Magic and other CCGs during the "Around the Net" segment.

Warehouse 13

Mild Mannered (Episode #14)

• The team visits a local comic book store and as they enter, patrons can be seen playing Magic.
  (Although the story is set in Detroit, the comic book store they visit is a real location in Toronto - Hairy Tarantula, http://hairyt.com/)

The O.C.

The Perfect Couple

Seth: So when you lost your virginity, I was playing Magic the Gathering.

Ryan: You still play Magic.

Seth: Yeah, but not as much.

Anna: So, this is your crib? This is where all the magic happens?

Seth: Well, if by magic, you're referring to the card game, then, sadly, yes.

ESPN

• Several tournaments were produced and shown on the network, see ESPN.
• Commercials for Portal aired during snow-boarding shows.

Seinfeld

• A Revised Edition 2-Player Gift Box can be seen on the set.

Home Improvement

• One of the kids had Magic posters.

Unsolved Mysteries

• Episode #245 (Season 8, 19th episode, aired March 15, 1996) - Although not referencing the game by name, victims Michael Johnston and Rochelle Robinson were said to have been playing a card game that featured "mystical creatures, magic, and fantasy" in the Tacoma, Washington area. (Official summary, Unsolved Mysteries Wikia, Seattle Times article)

MTV

• On Motel California, four segments were aired in which Pro Tour players Mike Long, Mark Justice, Brian Hacker, and Shawn "Hammer" Regnier played in a MTV Invitational "tournament".
  • Tues 7/8/1997 ‹ 6:10 - 6:40 pm PST
  • Thurs 7/10/1997 ‹ 12:30 - 1:00 pm PST
  • Fri 7/11/1997 ‹ 11:10 - 11:40 pm PST
• Road Rules was occasionally sponsored by Magic.

VH1

I Love the '80s: 3D - "1987"

• Magic was mentioned briefly in a segment about the Legend of Zelda Nintendo game.

Sci-Fi Channel

• A two-minute Sci-Fi Buzz feature showed the game and listed tournaments being played at the time.
• Commercials for Portal aired during Mystery Science Theater 3000, Twilight Zone and Tech War.

Comedy Central

• On-air talent was shown playing Portal.
• Commercials for Portal aired during South Park.
• South Park has an episode named: Cock Magic or in characters case: Roosters playing Magic The Gathering.

A&E

Storage Wars

• Sheets and Geeks (Episode #71, August 28, 2012) - Storage auction winner Darrell Sheets finds a small collection of Magic cards and takes them to get appraised by Shuffle and Cut Games. Shown were some Collector's Edition and an Unlimited Black Lotus.

CW

Supernatural

• Sacrifice (Episode 8.23, May 15, 2013) - Would-be college freshman turned prophet Kevin Tran mentions Magic cards (alongside Skyrim and Aziz Ansari) as things more relatable to him than sports (metaphors).

Marvel's Runaways

In the eighth episode of the third season, the hacker Alex Wilder tries to reassure his friends that he's not been mind-wiped by referencing an MtG card and the MindFlavors meditation technique:

ALEX WILDER: It's not like I played a One with Nothing card and I got MindFlavored, okay? If I did that, then you'd have to send me on back there. [Pause.] It's a Magic: The Gathering reference; you guys don't... [points at NIKO MINORU, pauses again, remembers his audience, then gestures at CHASE STEIN and GERT YORKES] You two haven't played. [shakes head, sighs] Missing out.

CHASE: It's definitely Wilder. We're good.

Music

• 2012 geek anthem I'm the One That's Cool produced by Felicia Day and the cast for The Guild includes the lyrics "While you played sports, I played Magic the Gathering".
• Nerdcore hip hop artist MC Frontalot recounts his failed attempt at playing the game in his single "Hassle: The Dorkening" (lyrics).

Visual novels

• In the Minotaur Hotel speedrunner route the protagonist says he can use magic "without tapping lands". This seems to inspire little confidence in one of the guests (the god Hermes in disguise).

Books

• The Princess Diaries: It is said that Princess Mia's boyfriend Michael frequently plays Magic

External links

• Wizards of the Coast conjures up a higher profile, Brandweek, April 13, 1998