How Science Fiction Movies Have Accurately Predicted Future Technologies

As 2020 marked the 35th anniversary of Back to the Future, fans eagerly analyze what futuristic tech the film accurately predicted and what’s still on the horizon. While hoverboards and self-lacing shoes are yet to be a reality, the franchise did foresee advancements like the widespread use of holograms and wearable technology.

Yet, the Back to the Future films aren't the only works of science fiction that have managed to predict future technological breakthroughs. Here are some other examples where sci-fi TV series and films accurately foresaw innovations in technology.

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Touchscreen Interfaces

When Star Trek: The Next Generation made its debut in 1987, people were still relying on Commodore 64 computers and bulky mouses. It was groundbreaking to see the crew aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise using touchscreen interfaces. Yet, creator Gene Roddenberry and his team were spot on, as touchscreen technology has become the standard method of interaction with devices today.

The series also accurately foresaw how swiftly people would adapt to typing and navigating touchscreen technology, as demonstrated by the characters Data and Geordi La Forge.

Source: Screenshot via CBS Television Distribution

Minority Report - Targeted Advertising

In the 2002 movie Minority Report, John Anderton (Tom Cruise) is continually inundated with advertisements tailored specifically to his interests. The ads even address him by name.

This scenario illustrates the concept of targeted advertising, a growing trend in modern marketing. While the level of precision seen in Minority Report isn’t fully realized yet, advertisers today focus on personalizing content based on consumers' preferences. This is informed by past purchases or frequent online searches.

Next time you’re at the checkout counter and the cashier asks for your email, home address, and phone number, think about how these details may contribute to the targeted ads you see.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bXJ_obaiYQ Source: YouTube

2001: A Space Odyssey - Tablet Computer

Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey features numerous futuristic gadgets, many of which have yet to come to life. However, one notable exception is the tablet computer. In the film, astronauts aboard the Discovery One use tablet devices, called Newspads, to watch television.

In an interesting twist, Stanley Kubrick also accurately foresaw the era in which tablet computers would become widespread. The first iPad was released in 2010, a full nine years after the events of 2001: A Space Odyssey.

This uncanny prediction was even referenced in a 2011 U.S. court case between Apple and Samsung. Samsung cited 2001: A Space Odyssey as “prior art” in an attempt to challenge Apple’s iPad design patent.

Source: Screenshot via DreamWorks Pictures

Total Recall - The Driverless Car

In the 1990 film Total Recall, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character rides in a self-driving taxi. Back then, this idea seemed far from reality. Fast forward two decades, and numerous major automotive manufacturers are testing self-driving car technology. However, it remains uncertain when fully autonomous vehicles will hit the roads in mass production.

The development of computer technology and GPS systems is transforming what was once a futuristic dream into reality. This is a concept people first witnessed in Total Recall. I wonder if real self-driving taxis will have robotic drivers who chat with us, just like in the movie?

Source: Screenshot via TriStar Pictures

Blade Runner - Video Calls

In Blade Runner, whenever Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) needs to communicate with someone who isn’t physically present, he uses a videophone. The film features videophone technology in several important exchanges between Deckard and his android lover, Rachel (Sean Young).

The appearance and functionality of the videophone closely resemble today’s video calling technologies like Skype, Messenger, and FaceTime. While these services are now commonplace, they were groundbreaking and futuristic when they first appeared in 1982.

Source: Screenshot via Warner Bros.

The Truman Show - Reality Television

When The Truman Show debuted in 1998, it seemed like an outlandish idea for a movie. A reality TV show following the everyday life of an ordinary person? Who would find that entertaining?

It turns out millions of viewers would, as the massive success of reality TV proves. People now spend hours watching others engage in simple daily activities like getting coffee, arguing with their partners, or searching for their lost socks in the morning.

Source: Screenshot via Paramount Pictures

The Terminator - Military Drones

The 1984 film The Terminator presents a vision of the future filled with computer-controlled drones and autonomous killing machines raining down destruction on humanity. While this seemed like pure science fiction 35 years ago, it has since become a reality. Drones and robots are now vital components of military operations worldwide.

Today, unmanned, computer-controlled aircraft are employed for everything from surveillance to precision bombing of laser-targeted areas. On the ground, robots are deployed to defuse bombs, search through wreckage, and deliver medical supplies to troops on the frontlines.

The future has arrived!

Source: Screenshot via Orion Pictures

Enemy of the State - Government Surveillance

While Enemy of the State takes its narrative to extreme lengths, the world it envisions is already in place. The surveillance capabilities it imagines, where the government can track and monitor any individual using satellites, cell phones, and GPS, have become a reality. This is now an expected part of a post-9/11 world, where intelligence agencies are charged with surveilling, intercepting, and neutralizing potential threats.

These days, news stories frequently expose government agencies — particularly the CIA and NSA — spying on their own citizens. From phone calls and emails to text messages and video communications, vast amounts of personal data are intercepted daily.

Sure, Enemy of the State is a tense, paranoid thriller. But perhaps we all should be a little paranoid?

Source: Screenshot via Buena Vista Pictures

Star Trek: The Original Series - Cell Phone/Wireless Communications

What exactly is the “communicator” device seen in the original Star Trek series if not a cell phone? It’s strikingly similar to a flip phone, both in appearance and functionality.

In one of the most forward-thinking predictions of technology, the creators and writers of Star Trek remarkably foresaw the rise of wireless communication and the deep dependence humans would develop on mobile devices. After all, whenever Captain Kirk and his team found themselves in a bind, they simply flipped open their communicator to call Scotty for a rescue.

The communicator also appeared in several episodes to:

Considering these features, it’s clear that Star Trek nearly nailed the concept of the cell phone — though it missed the addition of cameras and music players, of course.

Source: Screenshot via CBS Television Distribution