Do Movies Predict the Future or Influence It?

By Kevin Gardner

It is always strange when you are watching an old movie and see a far-fetched scenario that has since played out in the real world. Did the movie writers have privileged information about some new gadget? Maybe a child who watched that movie was inspired and grew up to design something similar. Either could be possible. On the other hand, there are some movies that predict social issues and world events that nobody could have imagined. 

Tech Toys

Any science fiction movie fan has witnessed gadgets in movies becoming reality. In Dick Tracy, the iconic detective constantly spoke into his wrist radio. Dick Tracy was known for using technology to fight crime. The first mention of a wrist radio was seen in the comic book series in 1946. Many believe this was the catalyst for smartwatches and other types of wearable devices. 

In 2001: A Space Odyssey, many futuristic devices were conceptualized. One of the most notable being the tablet computer, which was released only nine years after the year the movie was set. In the movie, technology like the tough tablet was used by astronauts to watch TV. 

The movie Hackers predicted a ton of technological and social advances. From hackers being employed by companies for strategic attacks, to on-demand television streaming services, this movie got a lot right. One gadget that the movie revealed with surprising accuracy is the concept of virtual reality gaming. In one scene, Eugene is playing a virtual reality game, looking very similar to what is available today. He wears a face mask and holds controllers in each hand, exactly like the gaming devices popular now. He is even standing on a platform that is akin to OMNI's virtual reality peripheral. 

Transportation

The idea of flying cars and hoverboards have been popping up in movies since The Jetsons in 1960. Although there are some concept vehicles out today with these capabilities, they are not available to the general public. However, self-driving cars, like the one seen in Total Recall, are now in cities all over the world. In the movie, the driver was replaced by a mechanical robot named Johnny. Self-driving cars today still require a human in the driver's seat, which shows society is still not comfortable seeing an empty car driving down the road. 

The Terminator from 1984 gave flight to the idea of drones. In the movie, military drones carry weapons that are used to fly around and fire at people. Who knows if this idea was on the military's radar at the time. Since then, drones have been made for recreational and professional purposes. One day soon, packages may be delivered by drones. Although this idea may have been inspired by the movie, the use of drones has far surpassed anything the Terminator could have guessed.

Social Media

The Truman Show was released in 1999 and predicted a society obsessed with reality TV. The conflict of this movie centers around whether society's entertainment is worth one man's freedom. This idea could not be more relevant today when social media and reality TV pushes the boundaries of people's conduct. Reality shows today strand people on desert islands or in swanky penthouses, and fans sit back to watch. Whether this movie influenced current reality TV or predicted it, the cautionary tale is one that needs to be told. 

As the internet entered everyone's lives, the movie You've Got Mail was released on the big screen. This movie predicted how relationships would evolve within online platforms. Current dating apps are a far cry from the correspondence seen in the movie. However, this movie was the first to explore how people would connect in the future. 

Whether these movies inspired or predicted technology and social issues, it's interesting to investigate what they got right. Maybe the movies in theaters today have already predicted the next great invention. Or, maybe the next great innovator is being inspired today.