For decades, some movies have accurately predicted future events and the creation of future technology. I wonder if some directors can see into the future or are just that smart. Recently an online community of movie fans discussed films they believe accidentally predicted the future. Here is what they said.
1. The Matrix (1999)
One forum member mentioned how The Matrix predicted the future back in 1999, pointing out that the time period when a person enters the Matrix is the 1990s because “It was the height of modern human civilization.” Who would’ve thought that the Wachowskis would be proven right, as people still hold the 1990s in high regard.
2. The Cable Guy (1996)
The Cable Guy is a funny movie that aged well. One particular part that has aged well is Jim Carrey’s speech, where he predicts the future. He states, “Soon every American home will integrate their television, phone, and computer.” He also mentions shopping from home and playing video games online in another country. Even though these were popular ideas at the time, having them expressed here turns it from a movie into a time capsule.
3. The Truman Show (1998)
Another Jim Carrey film that aged well is The Truman Show. The film follows a man named Truman, whose entire life has been manipulated and broadcast as a reality show for millions of viewers worldwide. As one forum user points out, “Millions of people watching other people’s lives is like The Truman Show.”
4. Minority Report (2002)
In Minority Report, law enforcement uses the idea of pre-crime to stop criminals before they commit crimes. Throughout the film, we see future technology, such as self-driving cars and personal advertisements, something we see today in the form of targeted ads. One user of the online community explains that the movie “had some great insights into the loss of privacy once we gave up our data to every company around us.”
5. Wrong Is Right (1982)
Wrong is Right is a comedy made in 1982 that managed to predict quite a few things regarding terrorism and the Middle East. For instance, a commenter points out the film “predicted bombers in the Middle East and tv news turning into tabloid news.” It also predicted America finding an excuse to invade the Middle East and an attempt to destroy the World Trade Center.
6. Network (1976)
Network is a film all about tv news, and as a result, it ends up being accurate about the future of mainstream news. One user commented on several things the film predicted, such as ‘the corporate consolidation of media,’ hosts becoming celebrities, the emphasis on opinions,” and many other things.
7. Super Marios Bros (1993)
Super Marios Bros (1993) is considered one of the worst movies of all time due to the way it adapts the world of Super Mario. One interesting point about the film is that it actually shows the Twin Towers being destroyed in New York. It’s weird how many films accidentally predict terrorist attacks on American soil.
8. Idiocracy (2006)
So many people will talk about how Idiocracy predicted the world we currently live in. One user says, “The movie Idiocracy predicted Trump.” Another one shares, “Idiocracy knew Crocs would be popular.” The most popular prediction users claim the film made is that people will get dumber in the future. I can’t entirely agree with this. The reason people seem to be getting dumber is because social media and the internet are giving more people a platform to speak.
9. Demolition Man (1993)
Demolition Man is one of the most memorable action films from the 90s. It’s also filled with plenty of predictions about the future. One forum member explains that the film “predicted societal effects we’re seeing today, including too much ‘sensitivity,’ government stepping on certain classes, etc.”
10. Repo Men (2010)
Repo Men is a movie from 2010 where people buy artificial organs and can have those same organs repossessed if they don’t pay on time. Not only did it predict the future by predicting this sort of thing would one day happen, but it also predicted a future film. According to one of the community’s commenters, the film “predicted that there would be 10 Fast and Furious movies at 11:49 into the movie.” This refers to a billboard in the background that says Fast and Furious X, which just released this year.
11. Akira (1988)
Many regard Akira for its high-quality animation and story. What most remember is its prediction involving the Tokyo Olympics. A contributor to the community states, “One really specific one I love is Akira has the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo being canceled.” Of course, the actual 2020 Olympics were canceled because of COVID, not a giant blob monster like in the film.
12. Back to The Future Part II (1989)
Back to the Future Part II is a film whose identity revolves around predicting the future. The film took place in 2015 and predicted that the Cubs would win the World Series. However, one user said, “In reality, they had to wait 108 years until 2016.” Other accurate predictions from the film include hoverboards and flying cars.
13. Contagion (2011)
Contagion was the best and worst movie to watch when the pandemic started. One commenter explains it as “Accurately depicting how stupid we would be as a society if a global outbreak started.” The only thing unrealistic about the film was that it was too optimistic about society overcoming a deadly pandemic so quickly.
14. I Am Legend (2007)
Will Smith’s post-apocalyptic thriller could have had a better ending, but it did manage to predict that a Batman vs. Superman film would happen. You can see an ad for this film in Times Square; however, it wasn’t intended as a prediction. As one commenter says, “It was never intended as an ad, just a nod to a project that fell through.” That failed Batman vs. Superman movie did come out eventually, although you could argue that it was a failure.
15. Metropolis (1927)
As a film set in the near future, Metropolis manages to predict several things, such as robots, cloning, computers, and more. It also predicted video calling, but as one forum user mentions, “It wasn’t a too far off idea when the new technologies of the time were telephones and wall-mounted projector screens.”
Source: Reddit
