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Worst Movie Future Predictions

End of the world, or something to laugh at in ten years? Take a look at these fairly (and sometimes horribly) inacurate predictions of the future, as seen in our favorite films.

Eugene Fomin Avatar By Eugene Fomin January 12, 2012
  

We're coming up on another end of the world prediction, but this one's done by the Mayans, so, y'know, it's serious. But it was serious twelve years ago, too.

Remember the year 2000? End of the world, the machines take over, the aliens invade. How about in 1997, when the human race finished its transformation into a totalitarian society on a planet consumed by toxic waste? Neither do I. But as humans always do, we panicked. We built bomb shelters, stocked up on Twinkies and kerosine, and Hollywood moved quickly to capitalize on our fears by filming a ton of end-of-the-world films, and if those films and TV shows outlive us, some future civilization will believe all those things have truly happened. Here are just a few of the worst movie future predictions.

Note: Back to the Future, you have three years, do you hear me? I want hoverboards, hovercars and powerlacing sneakers.

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Demolition Man
Credit: Warner Bros.

Demolition Man

So, this one takes place (at first) in 1997. The world is a dystopian society, complete with cool, Tumbler-looking cars and a city that looks like the Islip City Dump. I mean, our world is a bit screwed up now, but did Daniel Waters, in 1993, really think the world would go to hell like this in less than three years? After all, he -- and all the others on this list -- had only to adjust the clock a bit... 2023? Yeah, that sounds about right. (Oh, and that earthquake that wiped out LA in 2010... that hasn’t happened either.) Great film, though. Stalone and Snipes, kicking the crap out of each other. Top notch!

Future predictions gone Wrong
Credit: TriStar Pictures

The Terminator Franchise

Terminator. Everyone remembers the robot who comes to save the little boy from another robot, but they managed to slip in a tiny little factoid that put this series on the list. Specifically, you have The Sarah Connor Chronicles to blame for that. So, either Sarah Connor is a damn liar, or Judgment Day really didn’t happen on April 21, 2011. Or I missed something, and we’ve weathered a nuclear holocaust and recovered in under a year. If that’s the case, good job, humanity! Like Harold Camping, they made the mistake of giving a specific date. "Sometime in the future" would have worked better. Should've stayed with that.

Future predictions gone Wrong
Credit: Universal

12 Monkeys

Again, we return to the plague-ridden year of 1997. Apparently, a virus broke out that I was, again, unaware of. It quickly turned to a pandemic and covered the entire world, forcing the human race to live underground. Bruce Willis, a convicted criminal, is given a chance at freedom -- well, as much freedom as a race that lives underground can have. All he has to do is go back in time and find a pure strain of the virus that can be turned into vaccine. Another sweet flick with a lousy future prediction. Set your clocks forward, screenwriters. If your film is set in the year 3000, none of us will be alive to laugh at your mistakes.

Future predictions gone Wrong
Credit: New World Pictures

Deathrace 2000

In the year 2000, we see the world in chaos. America has become a dystopian society, where people hunt and kill to survive. A murderous, no holds barred transcontinental road race has become the main form of entertainment for the residents of the wastelands. The government, an entity which fills roles of both church and state, facilitates the race, running it on public roads. Again, Stallone, we haven't screwed up THIS badly... yet. Give it another ten years. This classic is definitely worth a look, though.

Future predictions gone Wrong
Credit: Touchstone Pictures

Deep Impact / Armageddon

Back in the 90s, the whole “dinosaurs were wiped out by a meteor” theory was all over the news. Naturally, some people said “Wait... could a meteor wipe us out?” The answer's yes, of course. In both Deep Impact and Armageddon, a meteor almost wipes out all life on Earth, and it all apparently happened in the late 90s. Deep Impact was more scientifically accuate, but Armageddon had Bruce Willis in it. Guess which made more money. Both were good films, though, and Aerosmith's I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing is still stuck in your head, admit it -- as is the sight of Ben Affleck's gigantic false teeth.

 
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