Old movies set in the future that got it all wrong

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

Many filmmakers have created futuristic movies that predict what the years to come might look like. In the case of older films where these future dates have already come to pass, it's clear that a good story doesn't always equate to a realistic prediction. Did someone mention flying cars, aliens, and time machines? 

Let's take a look back at movies that predicted the future and got it totally wrong. Click through the gallery to get started. 

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

In the second film 'Back to the Future' movie, Marty and Doc travel to October 21, 2015, where they encounter hoverboards, flying cars, and self-tying shoes. Well, 2015 came and went, and while we haven't seen flying cars or self-tying shoes, some tech predictions did come true: voice-activated TV controls and video calls.

'Blade Runner' (1982)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

'Blade Runner' is a dystopian sci-fi film centered on artificial intelligence and was praised for its realistic depiction of a futuristic world when it was released. Set in 2019 in Los Angeles, the movie depicts flying cars and robots roaming the streets, predictions that haven't come true yet. 

'Rollerball' (1975)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

'Rollerball' is set in 2018, imagining a world where corporations have replaced governments, eliminating war but introducing hyperviolent games as a substitute, similar to 'The Hunger Games' (2012). These brutal games serve as entertainment for viewers but are dangerous for the players. In reality, 2018 came and went without corporations replacing nations, and unfortunately, wars still continue around the world. 

'The Running Man' (1987)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

Set in 2017 in dystopian Los Angeles, a fascist government uses a game show to eliminate troublesome convicts and political prisoners, with the help of a corrupt TV producer. Thankfully, none of this occurred in 2017, keeping it purely in the realm of fiction. 

'Freejack' (1992)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

'Freejack' is set in 2009 and follows a driver, about to die in 1991, who is unexpectedly transported to the future. In this dark vision of 2009, wealthy billionaires harvest young bodies from the past, implanting their minds in them to achieve eternal life. A concept that thankfully hasn't become reality.

'1984' (1954)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

The 1954 adaptation of George Orwell's '1984' envisions a totalitarian super-state called Airstrip One, formed after a global war. This society is under constant surveillance by a figure known as "Big Brother," symbolizing the oppressive control over every citizen. 

'Escape from New York' (1981)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

This movie is set in 1997 USA where crime rates have soared over 400%, leading to Manhattan being transformed into a high-security prison. 

'Gattaca' (1997)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

'Gattaca' is an underrated sci-fi drama set in an unspecified distant future. In real life, scientists are already studying gene modification, aiming to discover cures and improve quality of life. Thankfully, though, we're still far from the oppressive social structure depicted in the film.

'Strange Days' (1995)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

'Strange Days' is set just four years into the future and portrays a high-tech dystopia. The movie presents an extreme vision of Los Angeles on the eve of Y2K, where gangs rule the streets, and the wealthy are transported in armored limos.

'Daybreakers' (2009)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

'Daybreakers' takes place in 2019, depicting a world where vampires have become the dominant species, threatening humanity's existence. Thankfully, in reality, vampires have not taken over the planet.

'The Island' (2005)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

'The Island' is set in 2019 and revolves around the theme of humans being cloned and kept on an island for their body parts to be harvested by those they were cloned from. Thankfully, this scenario is not happening anywhere, nor is likely to occur in the future.

'12 Monkeys' (1995)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

This movie follows a prisoner from the future who is sent back in time to 1995. He is promised freedom if he can gather information about a virus that devastated humanity in 1996. Both time travel and the virus outbreak were false predictions.

'V for Vendetta' (2005)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

This movie doesn't specify a clear year but seems to be set in the mid to late 2020s. Either way, we can safely say we won't be living in the dystopian London depicted in the film

'Mission to Mars' (2000)

'Back to the Future Part II' (1989), 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'Rollerball' (1975), 'The Running Man' (1987), 'Freejack' (1992), '1984' (1954), 'Escape from New York' (1981), 'Gattaca' (1997), 'Strange Days' (1995), 'Daybreakers' (2009), 'The Island' (2005), '12 Monkeys' (1995), 'V for Vendetta' (2005), 'Mission to Mars' (2000)

This film is set in 2020, a timeframe that seemed plausible in 2000. Primarily a sci-fi movie, it follows the lives of a crew of four sent to Mars, but a disaster leaves only one survivor. As a rescue mission unfolds, it reveals that Mars might support some form of life.

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