A few months ago, we ran a piece ranking 10 dystopian sci-fi predictions – which seemed timely given the horrifying pace at which technology (and totalitarian government control) are accelerating. And because that went over well we thought it was important to look at 10 more, presented in no particular order.
Judge Dredd
Release year: 1977 (comic book), 2012 (movie)
Setting year: 2099
The main character is a ruthless law enforcement agent trying to maintain order in Mega City One, an hyper-populated urban sprawl covering the east coast of what was once the United States.
Rating: 4/10
There was a lot more fear about street crime in the 1970s and 1980s than there was in the 1990s and 2000s. While that fear has returned, the overpopulated world presented here is way off from the demographic collapse toward which we appear headed, leading us to …
Children of Men
Release year: 1992 (book), 2006 (movie)
Setting year: 2021 (book), 2027 (movie)
Everyone in Europe has stopped having babies, mass migration from failed states, and the world has gone to hell.
Rating: 9/10
Last group of babies born are called “Omegas,” which isn’t that far from “Generation Z.”
Mad Max franchise
Release year: 1979-present
Setting year: 1984 onwards
Society breaks down, primitive tribes form, people fight for resources in awesome car chases.
Rating: 3/10
Inspired by the oil shortages of the 1970s, creator George Miller predicted that “a few years from now” such resource-shortages would eventually lead to chaos, social breakdown, and eventual nuclear war. According to the franchise’s complicated timeline, we are actually well behind schedule for all of that. Good job, us!
Waterworld
Release year: 1995
Setting year: 2500
Environmental catastrophe has melted the polar ice caps, drowning the whole world in, well, water.
Rating: 2/10
Basically Mad Max on the water. The polar ice caps have not melted, and probably won’t, but setting the piece so far in the future means the filmmakers can’t be held accountable for being wrong, unlike …
The Day After Tomorrow
Release year: 2004
Setting year: 2004
Environmental catastrophe expands the polar ice caps, drowning the whole world in ice.
Rating: 1/10
Awful 20 years ago, worse now. This vapid movie was so propagandistic they even made the vice president look like Dick Cheney. South Park spoofed this kind of reactionary hysteria in “Two Days Before the Day After Tomorrow.”
Bart to the Future (The Simpsons)
Release year: 2000
Setting year: 2030
In a classic Simpsons episode, Bart sees a future where his sister, Lisa, is president.
Rating: 10/10
This episode predicted unpayable national debt, marijuana legalization, “voting illegal aliens,” and a Trump presidency, about which much has long since been made. Let’s hope the country can survive seven more years!
The Expanse
Release year: 2015-2022
Setting year: 2350s
Humans have colonized the solar system, creating a state of unsteady conflict among the different planetary factions.
Rating: 8/10
While most attention is paid here to the hyper-accurate astrophysics, the social commentary is great too. Earth – the blue planet – is ruled by globalists who talk big about utopia while most of the planet languishes in San Francisco-style poverty. Mars – the red planet – is run by patriotic, hard-working pioneers. The only people who are optimistic are the Space Mormons.
The Walking Dead
Release year: 2010
Setting year: 2010
A zombie outbreak causes global collapse, but very few actual zombies and lots of redneck soap opera.
Rating: 5/10
The poster for the show’s premiere depicts a failed blue city, a line of cars of people trying to flee, and a cowboy riding in to save the day. Walking Dead’s prescription to cure blue city rot was the timeless symbol of American masculinity, but alas we don’t have enough of those!
I Am Legend
Release year: 2007
Setting year: 2012
Will Smith fights for survival in a post-apocalyptic world of zombies.
Rating: 7/10
Fear of global pandemics. New York is run by zombies. $7 for a gallon of gas. A Batman-Superman movie. This one would get 10/10 except Will Smith is still sane.
Cyberpunk 2020
Release year: 1988
Setting year: 2020
Advanced technology creates a world of violent cyborgs.
Rating: 6/10
In predicting the collapse of America, the first rulebook for this table-top role-playing game reads, “Everyone wanted to be seen as special. Every group had to be ‘equal’ to or preferably better than its neighbors, and fought to protect its ‘special’ rights. If anyone had something that someone else wanted, they were painted as racist, sexist, elitist or worse. … Diversity led inexorably to anarchy.”
Still no flying cars or cyborg eyes though.
Thanks for reading! Are there any we missed? Should we do one about optimistic predictions about the future?