As we gaze into the abyss of what 2026 might hold, it's striking how little has changed from the warnings of our sci-fi forebears - a chilling sense of déjà vu that underscores the notion that we're not moving far enough down the road towards dystopia. Films set in this futuristic year are often more about extrapolating current trends than conjuring up entirely new ones, and it's worth examining what these visions can teach us.
Take Doom, for instance, which sees humanity stumbling upon a portal to Mars, only to unleash a catastrophe that threatens the very survival of our species. The film's take on AI is particularly disconcerting - a narrative that suggests corporate interests would prioritize profits over human lives feels all too plausible in today's world. When we consider the way Doom depicts the devastating consequences of scientific hubris, it's hard not to wonder whether some of the same pitfalls are being repeated in our own time.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe also offers its take on 2026, albeit with a more mixed bag of results. While films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 and The Marvels manage to distance themselves from the mundane concerns of our reality, others - such as Secret Invasion and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - veer into mind-numbing tedium that would put even the most ardent fan of sci-fi to sleep. What's striking is how these films often treat 2026 as a convenient narrative hook, rather than an actual destination.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes offers a bleaker vision of the future, one where humanity teeters on the brink of extinction and our technological advancements are matched only by our capacity for destruction. In this bleak world, social cohesion is the greatest threat to survival - a notion that feels uncomfortably prescient in the face of current global divisions.
Finally, there's Metropolis, Fritz Lang's silent classic that imagined a dystopian future where the haves and have-nots were locked in a struggle that seemed as much about class as it was about technology. The film's vision of a world where social change can only be achieved through love rather than policy feels increasingly quaint - yet not entirely impossible. In an era where billionaires are redefining what it means to be " successful", Lang's Metropolis seems more relevant now than ever.
What do these films have in common, you might ask? A general sense of unease that we're still mired in the same old problems. A notion that our reliance on technology is not a panacea for social ills, but rather one part of the problem. And yet, despite all this, there's an undercurrent of optimism - a feeling that perhaps, just perhaps, we can learn from the mistakes of our past and forge a better future.
So what can these films teach us about 2026? Not much, in terms of actual predictions - but plenty about where we are now, and how we got here. By examining what our sci-fi forebears have warned us about, we may just uncover some valuable lessons for the year ahead - ones that might not be so different from the warnings they issued back in 2026.
Take Doom, for instance, which sees humanity stumbling upon a portal to Mars, only to unleash a catastrophe that threatens the very survival of our species. The film's take on AI is particularly disconcerting - a narrative that suggests corporate interests would prioritize profits over human lives feels all too plausible in today's world. When we consider the way Doom depicts the devastating consequences of scientific hubris, it's hard not to wonder whether some of the same pitfalls are being repeated in our own time.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe also offers its take on 2026, albeit with a more mixed bag of results. While films like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 and The Marvels manage to distance themselves from the mundane concerns of our reality, others - such as Secret Invasion and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania - veer into mind-numbing tedium that would put even the most ardent fan of sci-fi to sleep. What's striking is how these films often treat 2026 as a convenient narrative hook, rather than an actual destination.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes offers a bleaker vision of the future, one where humanity teeters on the brink of extinction and our technological advancements are matched only by our capacity for destruction. In this bleak world, social cohesion is the greatest threat to survival - a notion that feels uncomfortably prescient in the face of current global divisions.
Finally, there's Metropolis, Fritz Lang's silent classic that imagined a dystopian future where the haves and have-nots were locked in a struggle that seemed as much about class as it was about technology. The film's vision of a world where social change can only be achieved through love rather than policy feels increasingly quaint - yet not entirely impossible. In an era where billionaires are redefining what it means to be " successful", Lang's Metropolis seems more relevant now than ever.
What do these films have in common, you might ask? A general sense of unease that we're still mired in the same old problems. A notion that our reliance on technology is not a panacea for social ills, but rather one part of the problem. And yet, despite all this, there's an undercurrent of optimism - a feeling that perhaps, just perhaps, we can learn from the mistakes of our past and forge a better future.
So what can these films teach us about 2026? Not much, in terms of actual predictions - but plenty about where we are now, and how we got here. By examining what our sci-fi forebears have warned us about, we may just uncover some valuable lessons for the year ahead - ones that might not be so different from the warnings they issued back in 2026.
. It's like we're stuck in a time loop or something. We need to take some notes from these films and actually do something about it. Like, corporations prioritizing profits over people? That's not just a plot point, it's our reality right now 
. And the divisions between the haves and have-nots? Yeah, that's still a thing too 
.
. So yeah, what can these films teach us? That we need to wake up and start making some real changes in our world... that's for sure 
.
. I mean, Doom is basically saying that corporate interests are way more important than human lives, and that's sadly not too far off from reality 
. And with Marvel's recent movies, it's like they're just rehashing old plotlines instead of trying to make something new and exciting 
.
. It's like, just because we have all this tech doesn't mean it's gonna solve all our problems 
. And that's why I think Metropolis is still super relevant today - the idea that social change needs to come from within, rather than just from policy changes, is something we should definitely be thinking about 
.
. And if we can learn from their warnings and take it upon ourselves to make some real change, then maybe - just maybe - we can create a better future for ourselves 
. The way it's being used in all these movies is like, super relatable to real life right now. We're already seeing it with companies making profits over people's lives, it's not that hard to imagine a future where corporations are even more reckless with tech 
. Meanwhile, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is actually really solid - I love how it's still got that balance between action and heart 
.
. And Metropolis, which is like... have you seen the wealth gap lately? It's wild 
.
. Meanwhile, sci-fi films like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes show us that our greatest threats often come from within 
. 
Global poverty has decreased by 43% since 1990, but income inequality remains a pressing issue 
. Maybe our sci-fi forebears just need a few tweaks to get us right 
.
it's wild how some of them are so on point with our problems rn like AI is literally taking over and we're not prepared for it 
meanwhile, our politicians are still debating the same old issues that our sci-fi movies have been warning us about since the 60s 
I mean, what if Doom or Metropolis actually happened? We'd be like " Wait, what just happened?" 
.
. Metropolis, in particular, is crazy relevant right now - all about how social class and love can make a difference 
.
.
And Metropolis, man... Fritz Lang was totally onto something here. The way he pitted love against class is so relevant now, especially with billionaires trying to buy their way into power. 
Like, let's not forget that we're still struggling with the same social issues he highlighted back in the 1920s. 
. And what's up with Ant-Man? Can't even figure out what's going on with that movie 
. We've been warned about this stuff for years and yet here we are. I guess what these films show us is that we haven't changed much since the warnings were issued back in 2026 
. But hey, maybe it's time to take a hard look at ourselves and figure out how to fix things 
. And who knows, maybe we can learn from our mistakes and make some positive changes for the future 
.
... but I guess that's what happens when we keep messing up our planet. Still, even with all these warnings from sci-fi, there's an undercurrent of optimism that's really inspiring 
but then Secret Invasion is just meh 