With “Mad Max: Fury Road,” the classic Australian science-fiction series came back in a big way. Mel Gibson didn’t return to the title role – instead, Tom Hardy was Mad Max. Is he the same character? Is this a reboot?
Fans went back and forth for a while until this theory: Tom Hardy’s character is the Feral Kid that appears in the second film from 1981. There are similarities between their characters, and the theory goes on to say that Hardy’s Max basically just took the name from the original, turning it into more of a title than an actual name.
A Man of Many Talents
Samuel L. Jackson has been in tons of movies, which means there's plenty of fodder for same-character interpretations. One that has come up recently is that Jules from “Pulp Fiction” and Nick Fury from the Marvel Cinematic Universe are one and the same.
The evidence? Nick Fury's headstone has Ezekiel 25:17 on it, which was a favorite of Jules. Of course, most likely this is just an in-joke, but there's certainly plenty of time between “Pulp Fiction” and the Marvel movies for Jules to have a change of heart.
It Was All in Cameron's Head
“Ferris Bueller's Day Off” is an 80s classic. It has memorable lines, amazing sequences, and a surprising amount of emotion for what is often thought of as a goofy teen movie. Most of that emotion has to do with Cameron, one of the main characters and Ferris's best friend.
Cameron clearly needs a break from all the pressure his dad is putting on him but is it bad enough to have him imagine Ferris's entire day off? Some people seem to think so – they think that Cameron daydreamed everything Ferris did as a way to give himself some control.
Far Brainier Than They Appear
The Simpsons family doesn't exactly tip the scales in the brains department. Sure, Marge has common sense and Lisa is bright, but Bart, Homer, and baby Maggie don't have much going on.
But with so many episodes out there, viewers have come up with lots of fun theories. One of them is that ALL of the members of this yellow family are geniuses, they just deny it to be happier. We assume this stems from the episode where Homer has the crayon removed from his brain, but it's a stretch to say everyone is doing it.
When Was Jack From?
“Titanic” earned eleven academy award wins, and an iconic status over the years as one of Hollywood's best. It was also the wider world's first introduction to one Leonardo DiCaprio. Finally, it's provided us with a couple of strange theories, including that Jack is a time traveler.
The theory goes that Jack came back in time in order to help Rose– though that really just raises more questions if we're being honest. People say that anachronistic details like his backpack, or mentioning structures that weren't built at the time of the movie, give this theory weight. Do they, though?
Was He Really God?
While not exactly theologically sound, “Bruce Almighty” was an intriguing concept. What if God gave his powers to a human? It makes it clear that being the Almighty is a lot more complicated than we all thought. Morgan Freeman plays God...but does he?
Some people seem to think that he was actually the man DOWNSTAIRS instead, and giving a human godly powers is exactly the kind of trick he would pull. Bruce certainly does cause a lot of chaos and destruction during the movie. Don't expect a definitive answer to this one, but it's a fun theory to throw around after a movie night.
Not a Technicolor Dream
The shift from black and white to full color during “The Wizard of Oz” wowed people, and then the story and characters did the rest of the work. It's an American classic that has been loved for almost a hundred years, but some people still have questions.
It's revealed to be a dream at the end of the movie, but was it really? One theory says that the world of Oz wasn't a dreamscape, but more an alternate reality. All the characters in Oz had counterparts in the real world, and the theory even says that Dorothy's counterpart was the Wicked Witch of the West.
Peter Parker Was in “Iron Man 2”
We all know that there are lots of elements that tie bits of the MCU to each other, and this one might have had a secret that still hasn't been made clear.
There are some Marvel fans who think that during this movie Iron Man saves a little kid at the Stark Expo who turns out to be far more important. Some people think that he's none other than Peter Parker – Spider-Man himself. We all know that Parker idolizes Stark, and this might just be why.
A Tiny Disney Universe
Viewers will know that the king and queen from “Frozen” were lost at sea, and it's thought they were headed to a different nation to attend the return of Rapunzel from “Tangled.”
However, the ship never made it. Some have noticed the ship the king and queen are on shares a lot of similarities with a wreck in “The Little Mermaid.” As if that wasn't enough, the director of “Frozen” then said the couple survived – and gave birth to Tarzan!
She Never Killed Bill
Quentin Tarantino is a filmmaking expert, and the “Kill Bill” series are two of his most beloved movies. They were a nod to classic martial arts movies and had plenty of amazing scenes, but some think it holds a wild secret.
The Bride never mastered the five-point palm exploding technique, but she uses it at the end to kill Bill. Some people think he might have just faked his death to get her to leave him in peace. Others believe he committed suicide, which is a big change for the character. Tarantino loves a bit of ambiguity in his movies, so it could be anything.
The Killing Curse Is a Clue
The most famous spell in Harry Potter is also the most dangerous: Avada Kedavra, the killing curse. A certain fan theory thinks that our faux-magic word Abracadabra and this dangerous curse come from the same place. Before the time of Harry, muggles and the wizarding world were often at odds, and no doubt some bad magic-wielders used the killing curse on muggles.
They misheard the curse – or there was some kind of protective magic at work – so it entered the muggle world as Abracadabra.
It Was the Genie All Along
Pop in Disney's “Aladdin” (the original animated version) and you'll be greeted by a man, a shop owner, with a story to tell. He appears at the end of the third movie, but what was he all about? Well, it was noticed that Robin Williams, who provides the voice of Genie, also voices this small character, leading some people to believe that he's really the genie in disguise.
While that is never revealed, directors Ron Clements and John Musker have revealed the end of the first film was going to show he was the Genie, but it was cut for time.
The Terminators Had No Choice
The “Terminator” series started as a story about a metal monster chasing a human woman, but now it's become a sci-fi saga with no end in sight. Some people think Skynet, the machine mind controlling everything, isn't just prepared to wipe out humans – it's keeping the Terminators enslaved, too.
They're all set to “read-only” mode, and we see that they can be reprogrammed, such as in “Terminator 2.” It seems as if Skynet is keeping all the Terminators on a short chain, using them for its plan to have the whole planet to itself. You'd think the nuclear war would have been good enough.
It Was All a Lie
Few films were more shocking and engaging to viewers on their first watch than “Jurassic Park,” one of Steven Spielberg's best. It earned over a billion dollars at the box office, and for good reason – people got to go see dinosaurs as they'd never seen them before. Some viewers picked up on a few strange details, however.
Firstly, there are the park's historically inaccurate dinosaurs, but there's also the speech Hammond gives early on about how he started his career with a flea circus that tricked children. Some theorists have postulated this all points to the dinosaurs in the movie being illusions.
Monsters Were Afraid of the Plague
Pixar has plenty of classic films, and the 2001 movie “Monsters, inc.” is a fan favorite. It's a story of monsters learning that humans aren't as disgusting as they first thought, with lots of laughs and an emotional ending.
In the movie, the monsters are afraid of children, thinking they're toxic. One theory says that this is because the first time the monster world made contact was during the Black Death. This would without doubt explain why monsters found children to be so dangerous – people were afraid of other people at the time, too.
We All Knew He Was Evil
Star Wars Episode VIII showed us the death of Supreme Leader Snoke, who ruled the First Order. But before it came out, some people thought they recognized him. There were some who assumed that Snoke would be revealed to actually be Jar Jar Binks.
It all came from Andy Serkis's description of the character, which people thought sounded a lot like Binks. It would have taken quite a lot of time under the knife...and a lot of growth hormones...and where was he during the events of the original trilogy?
Ed Imagined Anton Chigurh
Anton Chigurh's brutality in “No Country for Old Men” really makes the movie stand out. How many other villains kill with a captive bolt stunner? We can't think of anyone. However, one fan seems to think that Ed Tom, the movie's main character, imagined Anton. For this to work, the scenes between Carson Welles and the man who hired him are imagined, since neither tells the tale.
During the motel scene, Tom pictures Chigurh hiding behind the door. He hasn't seen Chigurh yet, but he imagines Chigurh the exact same as he was during the time of Welles and his employer's death.
The Dark Lord Binks
Star Wars will go on forever, especially if we have anything to say about it. It's earned more than seventy billion dollars as of 2020, and all that content means theories. One has to do with a specific low point: Jar Jar Binks.
He bumbled his way to a senate spot, and from there he helped Palpatine gain power. The theory says he was a dark lord of the Sith, who helped the Jedi win in Episode I, and then helped his master, Palpatine, gain control of the entire galaxy in Episode III. How does he keep his powers hidden? Mind control. Obviously.
In a Coma Thanks to a Tornado
“That 70's Show” has plenty of its own accolades to show for it. Eric, Donna, Kelso, Fez, and Jackie all gave it their all, and they had plenty of success. However, some fans introduced the shocking idea that the second half of the show is all in Eric's head.
In season four, episode fifteen, Eric escapes the path of a tornado. After that, a radio announcer can be heard saying that a local teen is in critical condition, leading some to believe that ERIC is that local teen. It's a stretch, but there are weirder theories out there.
One of the Seven
While it took most of the details from Roald Dahl's book of the same name, the “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” movie added a lot more to the story. Specifically, it has to do with the characters and their personalities.
Or the main characters, at least. They all represent a specific cardinal sin: Augustus is obviously gluttony, Violet is pride, Veruca is "greed," Mike is "anger," Charlie is "sloth," and Wonka himself is "envy." Nobody is really sure what the Oompa Loompas are, but the theory makes some amount of sense. We aren't really sure how Charlie is "sloth", but there are more details.
The Sandler-Verse
Connected movie universes are becoming more popular, even if some of them are way more popular than others. One theory says that all of the movies that Adam Sandler has ever been in are part of the same universe – and kudos to the person who sat through all of that.
It turns out that Sandler loves to reference names and characters from his other films, which creates a web of interconnected stories. This also means that in that universe there are tons and tons of people that look like Adam Sandler. Not every world is perfect.
The Characters of “It's Always Sunny” Are Lying to Us
It's made very clear that the characters of the off-beat comedy show “It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia” are unreliable narrators. It's also clear all of them are narcissists, which might explain why they have such a hard time in life. But they all look okay, don't they? Not so, says one theory.
It says that the show gives the characters as they see themselves – Dee is beautiful, Dennis is perfectly attractive, and Mac is well-built. But no sane man is ever interested in Dee, Dennis has to lie his way into bed, and Mac is weak whenever he tries to do anything.
Another Reason for the Games
In the “Hunger Games” series, President Snow creates the eponymous games to give people something to watch, and to take revenge on the districts that had tried to rise up against him. However, some think that it was also so that he can keep closer tabs on which districts are gathering their strength and might try to revolutionize again.
Districts that have more names are more desperate for food, and that makes them more likely to rise up. The prequel shows him to be smart and clever, so it's no big surprise that the games have multiple reasons for existing.
The Vampire Was Real
Vampires come and go as far as crazes are concerned – they were big with “Twilight,” but then they faded behind zombies. Maybe they're making a comeback soon. Anyway, the first vamp movie was “Nosferatu,” and a theory holds that the film used a real vampire.
Well, actually, an actual movie, “Shadow of the Vampire” from 2000, says it did. Is that technically a theory? We're not sure, things are becoming a little blurred. We guess it's still a theory, just not one that comes out of a random mind from the internet. Instead, it comes from John Malkovich and Willem Dafoe.
Black Swan, Fake Mom
Calling the tension-filled and psychological ballet movie “Black Swan” a mind trip is maybe putting it mildly. There is a lot to take in, but one fan theory seems to think that a character that isn't involved in the weird stuff wasn't even real – Nina's mom, who is constantly creepy throughout the movie.
She's never in scenes with characters other than Nina until the end, which could have been a full breakdown. There's also the dream, but that was, of course, while Nina was under the influence. The mom could just be a representation of Nina's pure, childish side.
Nemo Was Never Lost
“Finding Nemo” was one of the highest-grossing G-rated films of all time, so there's no surprise it has a massive fanbase. It has a wonderful story about finding yourself, growing up, and learning to let go of things you can't control, but some think there's a dark side to the story.
Fans found that “Nemo” translates to “No one” in Spanish, leading some to believe Nemo doesn't exist – Marlin is just using a figment of his imagination to try and get past the trauma of the attack on his family. Of course, Nemo is also a famous name associated with water, coming from “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.”
A Pair of Fish Monsters
In “The Shape of Water”...you probably know what happens in this Best Picture-winning movie, right? Good, because we aren't going to explain it. It's a love story between a woman and a fish, let's put it that way.
Okay, it's not a fish, it's an aquatic goblin, but the other details are the same. However, at the end of the film, Elisa starts to grow gills, and she can't speak. One theory says this is because she's part-fish-person, and her transformation at the end is a way to get her back to her roots.
Kids Who Stayed on the Train
So a bunch of kids gets picked up by a train to go to the North Pole, which is full of elves and magic and such. But what about the engineers on the train? Who are they? One Reddit user theorizes they're kids the train picked up long ago that just never got off.
The red-haired man's pants are too short for him, and his hair and beard are super long – just like a kid that never got new clothes or went to the barber. Their grammar also isn't the best, as if they didn't get the education most other adults would.
Doc Brown Wanted to End It All
The intricacies of the “Back to the Future” plot could fill a book. This movie and its two sequels have made it to the National Film Registry for their pop-culture relevance, and the first movie is often touted as the perfect movie script.
Plenty of people have analyzed the movie, and some have come up with a rather chilling theory: Doc Brown was sick of life. Depressed from his failure as a scientist, he tried to end it all by running the DeLorean straight into himself...and Marty. Either that, or he had full confidence in his scientific abilities. We're sure it's the second one.
A Different Kind of Test
During “Men in Black,” Will Smith's character, Agent J, is submitted to a shooting test to record his marksmanship. During the test, he blasts a target that looks like a little girl carrying a quantum physics textbook and explains it away by saying no young girl would be studying such a thing.
One person came up with the idea that the shooting range not only measures an agent's shooting but also their ability to bluff on the fly. Improvisation is an incredibly handy skill to have, and secret government agents must have to use the skill day in and day out.
The Secret Switch in “Us”
Jordan Peele has been breaking new ground when it comes to horror, much like M. Night Shyamalan did with “The Sixth Sense.” In “Us,” there are lots of theories flying around, but one, in particular, seems to make great sense. Adelaide has a twist to her (trying not to spoil if that's even possible), but some people think she isn't the only one.
Her son Jason might also have that same twist, even from the beginning of the film. A big clue is at the beach he isn't making sand castles – he's making tunnels, just like the ones certain spoiler characters use underground.
James Bond Is a Code Name
Whether you like modern Daniel Craig movies, the campy Roger Moore films, or the old-school cool Sean Connery flicks, it's impossible to deny James Bond has made an impact. But how is Bond so many different people? The obvious answer is it's a rebooted character, but there is another idea that makes a lot of sense.
It says that James Bond is, in fact, a code name, just like 007. It's given to the best spy in MI5, which might explain how Judi Dench played M for multiple Bonds. Of course, Skyfall shows us the graves of Craig's parents, so it doesn't seem likely.
The Second Family of Dexter
For a simple animated show about a genius redhead, “Dexter's Laboratory” garnered quite an amount of acclaim. It seems to be a simple show, with Dexter trying to get his work done and Dee Dee (and their parents) getting in his way. Why doesn't Dexter just get rid of them? One fan theory says he already has, and these are the recreations.
The theory goes that an experiment went wrong and his family was destroyed. So, he created replicas using his extensive lab. The biggest hint comes from the theme song, which implies that Dee Dee was hurt during one of his experiments.
Kevin Is Jigsaw
“Home Alone” is one of a kind. Yeah, there are sequels, but you get it. Kevin McAllister defends his home from the Wet Bandits devising tricks and traps and hilarious obstacles that would be pretty painful in real life. Or, as one theory says, in the “Saw” franchise.
We never see Kevin as an adult, and all that madness must have taken a toll. Of course, there has to be more than just tricks and traps to connect the two. He seems too young to be Jigsaw, and Kevin was just trying to defend himself from the bad guys, not punish others.
They Are Both Weird Characters
The popularity of the “Harry Potter” series is hard to overstate. It's the third highest-grossing film series of all time, and the franchise is worth something like thirty billion dollars. With so much material to work with, there are plenty of fan theories.
One of the strangest is that Ron Weasley, Harry's best friend, and Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts, are the same person. They're both skinny and tall, Dumbledore had red hair when he was a kid, and more details line up. The theory doesn't hold, though – Dumbledore's past is all laid out and it's even an important point in the final book.
Leonardo DiCaprio's Two Similar Movies
In “Inception,” Leonardo DiCaprio is a mind thief tasked with one last job before he can see his kids again. He hops between realities and brain levels, and even the viewers are left confused by the end.
“Shutter Island,” on the other hand, has Leo act as a detective trying to solve the mystery behind the eponymous mental institution, with the final twist (spoiler) being that he is a patient there. Is it possible that the bending realities from the first movie led to his broken psyche in the second? Or that he just made up everything from “Inception” while getting treatment at Shutter Island?
An Unwilling Star
In “The Truman Show,” Truman is the unknowing star of his own reality series. One person seems to think that “It's a Wonderful Life,” the classic Christmas movie starring Jimmy Stewart, has the same idea.
The theory is that George, the main character, was the unwilling star of a Truman-like reality show. It all might have started after falling into the icy water as a child when he lost previous memories of his childhood. The rest of the movie shows us the important parts of his life, and the “Georgeless world” just had the actors playing slightly different roles. There's even a narrator!
Malcolm Grows up to Become Walter
“Malcolm in the Middle” and “Breaking Bad” have just a single thing in common, but some fans seem to think there's a lot more. Malcolm had a specific interest in chemistry, and he was also stubborn and manipulative, just like the main character from “Breaking Bad.”
Is it so strange to think that Malcolm might have changed his name to get away from his family? Plus, that single thing in common is the actor Bryan Cranston, who plays both Walter White in BB and Hal Wilkerson in Malcolm. Of course, the kid is played by the same actor – kids often look like their parents.
Angelica Imagined All the Rugrats
“The Rugrats” was one of the most popular kids' shows on television in the nineties. Viewers grew up with the show, and some of them took it upon themselves to look deeper into the show – and a theory they came up with is quite shocking.
They think that Angelica imagined all the events of the show, including the other kids. She was a lonely only child who wanted friends to play with, so she dreamed up Chuckie, Tommy, Lillian, and the other kids. There are actually plenty of things that give this theory credence, but too many to relate here.
Dorothy Was a Kidnapped Killer
“The Wizard of Oz” was a momentous occasion in film history. The enhancements to technology like color, the details like having the same actors play real humans and Dorothy's companions, and the emotional story all make it famous.
Non-canon additions like “Wicked” have raised some interesting points. Glinda the Good Witch brings Dorothy to Oz, but why? Some people think it was to get rid of her rivals, the wicked witches of the east and west. That's what ended up happening anyway, but it's hard to say that the witches didn't deserve it – they were trying to take over, after all.
Neville's Memory Was Magically Altered
There are lots of memorable characters in the Harry Potter series, including Neville Longbottom, a long-suffering friend of Harry, Ron, and Hermione with a patchy memory and plenty of bad luck. He was constantly forgetting things, and he was just a kid – this wasn't the fading memory of an old man he was dealing with.
Of course, the world of Harry Potter is full of magic. Perhaps there's an explanation there? Neville's parents were attacked by dark wizards when he was little, and it's possible someone took pity on the lad with a memory-altering spell.
John Wick Is in the Matrix
Keanu Reeves has had a career resurgence thanks to the “John Wick” movies, but some people have noticed a few similarities between those movies and his “The Matrix” movies. The theory goes that John is a different version of Neo who decided he didn't want to know more and took the blue pill instead of the red pill when Morpheus offered them.
Neo was a bit of a loser in the Matrix movies, but he still had the power. If he took the blue pill, it might have still manifested as intense hand-to-hand combat skills and assassin experience. It's out there, but some repeated viewings might be in order.
Was Forrest's Son Really His?
“Forrest Gump” is often called a perfect movie, and it's hard to disagree. Forrest goes from a simple kid in the deep south to a national hero, war vet, and multi-millionaire. However, the most important part is his relationship with Jenny. The two flit in and out of each other's lives until finally getting together at the end with their son Forrest Jr. But is the boy really Forrest's?
While Jenny and Forrest did sleep together, it's also possible that the boy is from someone else considering Jenny's past. Knowing she was dying, she needed someone to care for Junior. Forrest was the obvious choice.
A Long Coma Dream
Everybody can agree on one thing: there were vampires in "Twilight". However, even that is up for debate according to a recent theory. Bella had just moved, she didn't have a lot of friends, and she was shy.
What about that cute guy who keeps staring at her, though? We all daydream, but Bella might have gone even farther. The first clue we have that Edward is a vamp is saving Bella from a car crash, but what if he didn't? What if Bella is in a coma for the whole saga, and her mind is just coming up with stories to keep her entertained?
Not From Outer Space
Shyamalan's first big hit was “The Sixth Sense,” and he's managed to have a few winners after that one, such as “Signs.” In it, aliens visit a farmhouse and wreak havoc, as they are wont to do, only to be defeated by...water. Maybe. You see, there are some viewers who think that the creepy creatures were actually demons.
Why? Well, the main character is a former priest struggling with his faith after losing his wife, and the whole movie is about belief. Maybe the “aliens” were demons who feared the water that Beau left all over had been blessed since an ex-priest lived there.
But Only One Is a Good Nanny
When thinking about “Marry Poppins” and “It,” it might not seem like there's any way to connect the stories, but some fans have certainly tried... The creepy clown from “It” and the eponymous Miss Poppins both focus on children, and both of them have the power to influence their imaginations.
The big difference is that Mary Poppins sings songs while Pennywise...doesn't. Still, they might have a similar skill set, but it's hard for us to see that as any more than a coincidence. We don't want to imagine Mary Poppins turning into a giant spider.
Peter Parker Was Worthy
In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor's hammer Mjolnir required a pure heart to wield. Quicksilver in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” tried, but couldn't do it, and neither could a lot of the other members. However, one thoughtful viewer thinks that Spider-Man would fit the bill. During “Avengers: Endgame,” Captain America throws the hammer and shouts Peter Parker's name.
Parker uses his web to grab the hammer and throw it through the air. The hammer never dropped to the ground, but was this bending the rules of using the hammer, or was it telling us that Parker was pure enough to wield this powerful weapon?
Donnie Wasn't Real
“The Big Lebowski” is the most famous Coen brothers' movie. His friends at the bowling alley, Donnie and Walter, help round out the weird cast of this movie. Donnie, played by Steve Buscemi, is constantly told to shut up, despite not talking much.
Still, some think he's part of the Dude's imagination. Donny was in the war, and the Dude is unstable, so maybe it's possible Donnie died in the war and the Dude couldn't handle it. On the other hand, it's been said that the repeated “Shut up, Donnie!” is a reference to “Fargo,” in which Buscemi's character talks constantly.
Cobb Dreamed All of “Inception”
A world of dreams that we can step inside and play around in – it was just one of the many things that made Christopher Nolan's movie “Inception” so amazing. The next was the story about Cobb. There are plenty of theories about the events of the movie, and one of the most prominent is that Cobb – Leonardo DiCaprio's character – dreamed the entire thing.
The theory goes that Cobb's totem isn't the spinning top – it's his wedding ring. He wears it while he's awake, not while he's asleep. But some scenes don't have it, even though he's supposed to be awake.
A Productive Member of Society
When Pixar released “Toy Story,” people were shocked. A fully CGI-animated movie about living toys? And it's really good? Kids and parents all over the world loved it, and even the creepy, disturbed Sid, the antagonist of the first movie, garnered applause.
However, Sid doesn't show up in the other movies...or does he? Eagle-eyed viewers of the third movie noticed that the garbage man who is spotted briefly is not only jamming to music just like Sid did, but he even wore the same skull t-shirt.
Thor Is a Skrull
Now that Thanos is out of the picture, the Marvel Cinematic Universe can go in a lot of different directions. When you think about the Skrull, the creatures that can change their look to be anybody they want, the options are endless.
Thor in particular has gone through a big personality and style change, leading some theorizers to say he's actually a Skrull in disguise, leading up to the next big Avengers film. There are lots of other Skrulls out there even if Galactus has destroyed their planet (like he did in the comics), which means things could get complicated.
The Event That Began the Endless War
Warhammer 40K is a tabletop game that takes place in the 41st millennium, in case you didn't know. In it, there is a warp drive that takes people through a horrible, hellish dimension full of murderous creations called the Chaos Gods. Without the right protection, this is a bad time.
If you've seen “Event Horizon,” this might all sound familiar to you. A new warp drive sends a ship through a wormhole and it comes back full of crazy. It's not officially a prequel to the tabletop game, but it's close enough to get our theory engines chugging.
Bender's Programming Had Been Tampered With
Few animated shows could ever reach the heights of “Futurama.” The writing was clever and intelligent without going over too many heads, the gags were impeccable, and the characters were memorable. Chief among those characters is Bender, a foul-mouthed, booze-swilling robot that becomes best friends with the frozen-in-time Fry.
He's reckless, but some fans theorize it's all because of something in the pilot. At one point he has an electrical issue and reboots to fit his surroundings, but he's in the hall of criminals. It doesn't take an evil genius to figure out what might have happened.
Clues From “The Shining”
There are lots of silly conspiracy stories about the Apollo 11 moon landing in July of 1969. One of them is that Stanley Kubrick was contracted to stage it. Kubrick was an expert at film effects, and some think his film “The Shining” is a way to reveal what he had done.
From Danny's sweater to the creepy twins to even the pattern on the carpet, people have connected multiple things in the movie to the landing. Of note are room 237 (237,000 miles from the moon to the earth) and “All work and no play make Jack a dull boy” (All: A11. Apollo eleven).
A Dark Secret
The “Shrek” movies contain tons of inside jokes for those who know their fairy tales, but there's one that goes largely unexplained. During the first movie, Lord Farquaad is interrogating the gingerbread man, Gingy, and asks him about the Muffin Man. We're all familiar with the nursery rhyme, but Farquaad wants to know more.
Gingy mentions the name, and Farquaad is immediately surprised and maybe a little worried. Fan theories have ranged from an evil scientist to a sorcerer, and there are multiple small hints throughout the movies that say there might be more going on behind the scenes than we think.
The Daughter of an Eighties Couple
Janis, the outcast of the school in “Mean Girls,” comes up with a plan using Cady, Lindsey Lohan's character. But who is she exactly? She doesn't act or dress like most kids would at that time. No, she seems to have some eighties in her.
In fact, you might already know her parents. In “Heathers,” two of the characters sleep together, and that movie came out exactly fifteen years before “Mean Girls,” which means Janis could be the product of that union. Maybe you haven't thought about “Heathers” in a long time, but the timeline does seem to match.
Mind Control From the Beginning
You probably know about “Game of Thrones”. You also probably know that Bran falls out of a window in the very first episode, resulting in his crippling. But that's okay, he has mind powers, including mind control.
He controls both his pet dire wolf Summer and his towering friend Hodor. However, he can also travel through time to take over people using the Weirwood trees. This leads some people to think he used Jaime Lannister to push himself out of the window in the very first episode. It all led up to him gaining his powers, after all.
An Unexpected Connection
“Breaking Bad” is heralded as one of the best shows ever, and it has the accolades to prove it. The incredible stories, writing, and characters have given rise to a number of fan theories, including some that will make you raise an eyebrow.
One of them claims that Walter White's drug empire is the reason behind the “Walking Dead” zombie apocalypse. Both of the shows started on AMC, but there's another hint – Merle has a stash of something that greatly resembles the blue drug Walter White built his empire on. Coincidence? Easter egg? Wink? Nod? Or evidence of something more?
Aunt Bethany Knew Multiverse Theory
In the comedy classic “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation,” Aunt Bethany never seemed to know exactly what was going on. She was confused, but was there a deeper reason? One fan came up with the idea that Aunt Bethany is aware of all the other Vacation movies, including the European and Vegas versions, and was getting her facts mixed up.
The same people play the same characters who go through different events in each movie, so if she was aware, she would obviously have problems keeping them all in order.
A Betrayal of B
“Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse” updates the classic story of Peter Parker with a boatload of artistic style and fun moments. It has a crazy, universe-spanning story, and it gives us lots of characters to watch.
One of them is Mary Jane, the classic wife of Peter B. Parker. Some think that M.J. isn't the woman we know from the comics, however – she didn't help Miles as Aunt May did, she was far too comfortable around Kingpin, and she tells Miles to be careful who he trusts. All this leads to the theory that Mary Jane betrayed Peter B. to Kingpin.
Taking the Title for Himself
With “Mad Max: Fury Road,” the classic Australian science-fiction series came back in a big way. Mel Gibson didn't return to the title role – instead, Tom Hardy was Mad Max. Is he the same character? Is this a reboot?
Fans went back and forth for a while until this theory: Tom Hardy's character is the Feral Kid that appears in the second film from 1981. There are similarities between their characters, and the theory goes on to say that Hardy's Max basically just took the name from the original, turning it into more of a title than an actual name.
The Joker Was a Military Man
“The Dark Knight” is widely considered one of the best movies ever, and it's in no small part thanks to Heath Ledger's Joker. From the very first moment he's on-screen he dominates the film. Throughout the film, his character gives several backstories as to how he got his scars, but they're always different.
Some fans have noticed he mentions a truck of soldiers getting blown up, and think it could be him giving away the real explanation. Perhaps he was a former military man?
A Fake Romance to Remember
“Titanic” was, until somewhat recently, the highest-earning movie of all time. People watched the romance between star-crossed lovers Jack and Rose on the doomed vessel. With so many people watching it, we were sure to get some theories.
One of them is that Jack never existed. How could that be? Rose loved him, and there was the...car scene. Rose was stuck in her loveless engagement and her stuffy high-class life, and some people think she imagined Jack as a dashing, low-class charmer who had all the life she needed – and he dies at the end, so it's not like she has to explain anything.
Zion Is Still in the Matrix
If you follow the “Matrix”, you know Zion was the safest place for humans that were freed from the machines. But the Zion storyline often feels like a letdown compared to other parts of the saga. Some fans have started to think that Zion was, despite what the characters thought, still in the Matrix.
Think about it – the machines had created multiple worlds already, what's to stop them from creating a fake “real” world to keep the humans from really disconnecting? Of course, at that point, it would make the most sense for the machines to stop fighting them, but it's an interesting idea...
Donkey Used to Be a Human Child
We all fell in love with Shrek, and his movies had plenty to like even for adults. One of those things was Eddie Murphy as a talking donkey. His ability to talk is never explained, but some people think they might have figured it out.
The land where the movies take place is chock full of fairy tale characters, including a Pinocchio-like character...remember what happened to the kids at Pleasure Island? They all turned into donkeys! Of course, the movies never go into Donkey's backstory, but in a world full of magic, there are stranger ideas.
All Starring the Same Character
Tim Burton films are pretty easy to recognize. They're gothic in nature, dark, and with a dark sense of humor, and they star Johnny Depp most of the time. One fan theory says the movies are even closer than we think – it says that the star of “Frankenweenie,” Victor Frankenstein, is also the main character of “Corpse Bride,” Victor Van Dort.
After a rough childhood, maybe Victor changed his name. And then the theory kind of goes off the rails, saying that the character eventually becomes Jack Skellington, the main character of “Nightmare Before Christmas.”
Jimmy Neutron was Controlled by the Government
There's no kids' show that can't be turned into a wild theory, and this one is pretty crazy. In “Jimmy Neutron,” the titular Jim is a mega brainiac, able to make an entire world out of his devices. How could he be getting away with this sort of thing?
Well, a theory says that he and all of his friends are genetically-engineered super children. It explains why his parents don't care too much about all the stuff he's doing (and also explains Hugh). This would also help explain the size of Jimmy Neutron's immense five-head.
On the Run From the Draft
“Scooby-Doo” is one of the greatest cartoons of all time. It even encourages critical thinking, allowing viewers to solve the mysteries before the characters do. Some fans used that critical thinking to pick up on a few interesting details.
The show premiered in 1969, in the midst of the Vietnam war, and the pilot has the gang cross the border into Canada. Some fans speculate that they were actually fleeing the war draft – Fred at least would be a prime candidate. While Velma and Daphne wouldn't have to worry, even Shaggy might have had a fear of serving, the chicken that he was.
“Titanic” Is a Terminator Sequel
Yup, this one is weird. Sure, thanks to mentioning things like Lake Wissota and the Santa Monica coaster – two things that came to be AFTER the Titanic sank – Jack has outed himself as a time traveler. But then what? He shows up to keep Rose alive, all to make sure that...we're not sure.
Maybe Rose's family helps create Skynet. Maybe the Terminators just wanted to make sure the Titanic struck the iceberg. Yes, it's taken with a grain of salt, but they are directed by the same person, so maybe Cameron added some details that even he didn't notice.
Evil Magic Influenced the Dursleys
One of the first things we learn about Harry Potter is his awful home life – he lives with his aunt and uncle the Dursleys and is terrorized by them and his cousin Dudley. They were quite cruel to him for most of the series, but some astute readers have come up with a theory about their treatment – what if it was all because of the Horcrux?
It turns out Harry has been harboring part of Voldemort's soul since Voldy first tried to kill him, and it's dangerous dark magic. It could go a long way to explaining why the Dursleys were so awful.
CIA Parents
Lilo's family in “Lilo and Stitch” is one of the most important parts of the story – Nani struggles to take care of her younger sister, and Lilo has no friends, hence we get Stitch. Where did the parents go? What happened to them? The movie never tells us, but it's clear enough that it was a tragedy.
There's a theory, however, that Mom and Dad were CIA agents. That's why Agent Bubbles was acting like such a helicopter-parent ahem... we mean agent. It's pretty clear that he's not a normal social worker. Maybe this was just the CIA looking after some of their own.
Charlie Was Picked on Purpose
There aren't many films that are as magical as “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” It's always fun to see Gene Wilder, and there are songs and sights that delight everyone. Charlie struck it rich when he found the winning chocolate bar, but some say it was no coincidence.
The theory goes that Bill the candy man was employed by Wonka to find a deserving child to inherit the factory, and to help get rid of all the greedy, undeserving children like Violet Beauregard. Charlie was certainly the best of that bunch, and Wonka did already employ the man who wanted the Everlasting Gobstoppers.
E.T. Uses the Force
Think about it. E.T. comes to Earth, can levitate objects with his mind, is psychically linked to children, and he's clearly an alien – you know, like from outer space. Is it too much to believe that he's a Jedi child that got stranded on Earth and needed help?
There's also a prequel Easter egg that shows his species is part of the Star Wars universe. There are some kinks here, such as Star Wars as a brand already existing in the movie, and the fact that Star Wars famously takes place “A long time ago,” but there are ways around those little details.
A Monster World After War
Pokemon is perhaps the most well-known piece of pop-culture media the world over, and it deserved it. With colorful, cute monsters running around, there is a lot to love for everybody.
Some people seem to think the world of Pokemon isn't as cheery as it seems to be. There's been talk of a big war since the very first games, and some fans think it was so bad it created the Pokemon in some way. Pokemon were used as weapons during the war, and even the very first player character is thought to have lost his dad in the war.
Movies Within Movies
We're not sure if this is really a theory or just “the truth” since it was the director who came up with it, but Quentin Tarantino has said that all of his movies share a universe, including the violet vampire film “From Dusk Till Dawn” and the martial arts-inspired “Kill Bill” series.
For those two, they are actually movies that exist AS MOVIES inside the universe.
The Missing Dad
In “Phineas and Ferb,” there are two stories per episode (usually). The first has the titular characters come up with a cool creation, and the second has their platypus Perry battle the evil Dr. Heinz “Doof” Doofenshmirtz. Many have noticed that Doof and Ferb have similar head shapes and hairstyles.
It's also known that Ferb's mom once went on a date with Dr. Doofenshmirtz before she gave birth to Ferb. It isn't too much of a stretch for Doof to be Ferb's dad. However, the show lets us see that Linda wasn't exactly impressed with Doof's manners and decisions while on the date.
Complicated on Purpose
“Beetlejuice” is a goofy, strange movie, and it absolutely works in its favor. One thing that the movie never really helps us understand is why the handbook for the recently deceased is so complicated. Not just complicated – practically unintelligible. Some people think that's on purpose, not for the movie but for the handbook's writers.
It's insurance against people who aren't strange and unusual, as the strange people would read it correctly, and normal people who find it useless.
Doc Brown and Marty Are the Same Person
There are few movies that have reached the heights that the eighties classic “Back to the Future” achieved. Doc Brown has a vague backstory, and we don't learn why Marty McFly and Doc end up being friends, and it leads some fans to think that that's for a good reason – Doc Brown is an older Marty!
Marty has a couple of personal problems to deal with during the trilogy as a whole, so after he solves them, he goes back in time to help his past self. It is, obviously, pretty nutty, but it's fun to think about it as an option, at least.