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'Back to the Future Part II' (1989) -

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.

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'Blade Runner' (1982) -

'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. 

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'Rollerball' (1975) -

'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. 

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'2001: A Space Odyssey' (1968) -

This brilliant film follows a scientist and his crewmates on an exploratory mission in the year 2001, aided by HAL 9000, an AI that eventually turns against them. Although the film envisioned advanced AI technology by the early 2000s, real-world AI was not that developed then. Another notable inaccuracy is the use of Pan Am at the beginning, as in reality, Pan Am went bankrupt and shut down in 1991.

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'The Running Man' (1987) -

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. 

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'I am a Legend' (2007) -

This movie is set in a post-apocalyptic Manhattan in 2012. Will Smith plays the sole survivor after a deadly virus wipes out humanity, leaving infected people as zombie-like monsters. In Times Square, we see a 'Batman v Superman' movie on a billboard, though that movie wasn't actually released until 2016. 

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'Freejack' (1992) -

'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.

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'Akira' (1988) -

'Akira' is a futuristic anime set in the late 2010s. Interestingly, the main character wakes up under a stadium at the film's start, a structure that was later actually built in Tokyo for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

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'1984' (1954) -

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. 

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'2012' (2009) -

This 2009 film depicted an end-of-the-world disaster just a few years into the future. Thankfully, the world didn't end in 2012.

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'Escape from New York' (1981) -

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

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'Terminator' (1991) -

'Terminator' envisions a bleak future in 1997, where humanity faces devastation after Judgement Day, triggered by Skynet's nuclear disaster. Evidently, the machines haven't risen, and humanity hasn't been wiped out by nuclear weapons... Yet.

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'Gattaca' (1997) -

'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.

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'Timecop' (1994) -

This movie set in the mid-90s follows a cop who polices time travel, with Jean Claude Van Damme in the lead role. While it's a brilliant film, one thing it definitely got wrong is time travel itself.

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'Strange Days' (1995) -

'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.

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'A Scanner Darkly' (2006) -

Set in 2023, this anime-style film by Richard Linklater explores the pervasive rise of technology in our lives. While we may not have scramble suits or a drug called Substance D, the increasing presence of high-tech security and advanced technology is undeniably real. 

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'The Abyss' (1989) -

James Cameron, known for his fascination with underwater exploration, directed this sci-fi movie set in 1994. While it doesn't feature futuristic tech, it does involve aliens, making it more of a classic sci-fi adventure than a look into the future.

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'A Clockwork Orange' (1971) -

'A Clockwork Orange' presents a distinct vision of a dystopian future where gangs of oddly dressed teenagers commit unspeakable acts of violence. Although the film doesn't specify the year, it's based on a book by Anthony Burgess, who revealed in his diary that it's set in the 1980s.

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'Daybreakers' (2009) -

'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.

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'Barb Wire' (1996) -

'Barb Wire,' starring Pamela Anderson, is set in 2017 during an imagined American civil war. While a real civil war didn't occur, it's fair to say that the period did see heightened division in the country.

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'The Island' (2005) -

'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.

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'Death Race 2000' (1975) -

'Death Race 2000' is set 25 years into the future from its release, which is reflected in the film's title. It features a cross-country road race turned into a brutal form of television entertainment.

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'12 Monkeys' (1995) -

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.

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'Westworld' (1973) -

'Westworld' is set around 1983, in a world populated by androids. While we are witnessing advancements in robotics today, we certainly don't have robots as sophisticated as those depicted in the movie.

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'V for Vendetta' (2005) -

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

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'The Tunnel' (1935) -

The movie revolves around an attempt to construct a transatlantic underwater tunnel from England to the United States, which has yet to become a reality. It also references the Channel Tunnel, which successfully crosses the English Channel and was built long after the movie was released. 

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'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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'Until the End of the World' (1991) -

Set in the 20th century, this epic road trip movie follows the lives of several characters as they journey around the globe, all while the world's population prepares for the impending end of the century.

Sources: (Yard Barker) (ScreenRant) (Collider) (The Wrap) (IMDB) (CRB)(Cinema Blend)

See also: 'The Exorcist' and other horror movies inspired by real-life events

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