How the 1993 film ‘Daredevil’ with Stallone and Wesley Snipes managed to ‘predict’ the future. movies

The web goes nuts whenever ‘The Simpsons’ does something “predict the future,” but now a movie from the 1990s is garnering attention for its ability to predict events several years later. Daredevil (1993), starring Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock, would have “anticipated” Arnold Schwarzenegger’s entry into politics until the COVID-19 pandemic.

The three-decade-old action film follows John Spartan (Stallone) after he has spent 36 years in prison, teaming up with police officer Lenina (Sandra Bullock) to capture crime lord Simon Phoenix (Snaps).

The production takes place in 2032 (that is, nine years ahead of our current reality) and more observant fans will notice some parallels with many recent events. So we put together a compilation of all the predictions made by the movie.

no handshake

‘Daredevil’ shows a highly contagious disease affecting the fictional city of San Angeles, which has forced local authorities to ban methods of physical contact to prevent its spread. It looks very familiar, doesn’t it?

Instead of a traditional handshake, one scene depicts the two characters giving non-contact high-fives. The couple proceeds to celebrate by enthusiastically holding their hands, but instead of making contact, they wave them in a circle in the air. Another moment shows Spartan trying to shake someone’s hand, but Lenina warns him: “We are not used to greetings involving physical contact.”

The lack of physical contact is much like the reality we lived through in 2020 and 2021, when public health experts were asking people to stop shaking hands at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance was given in an effort to combat the spread of the virus and people have started bumping elbows as a polite greeting.

lack of toilet paper

A picturesque moment in the film features the protagonist questioning Bullock’s character why there is no toilet paper in the bathroom. He whispers in her ear, “Look, I don’t know if you guys know, but you don’t have toilet paper.” Lenina then confirms that they have no more toilet paper, but use three ladles. The police officer joked, “They used a handful of folded paper in the 20th century.”

Although toilet paper has not been eradicated from today’s society, netizens have pointed out that this situation is similar to the discussion of toilet paper amid the Covid crisis in various places. At the start of the pandemic, people started buying toilet paper in bulk out of fear that supermarkets would run out of stock and empty shelves during the lockdown.

use video call

The film depicts videoconferencing as a very regular form of communication in San Angeles. In one scene, Dr. Raymond Cocteau (Nigel Hawthorne) is speaking to a group of people at a board meeting, but communicating with them via a video call.

He is seated on top of the table as the large brown computer is placed where the members of the meeting normally sit. The computer moves around the room to accompany the Doctor. While Cocteau is speaking, the faces of the participants are shown on the screen. ‘Daredevil’ also predicted the use of iPads and iPhones, as Lenina appears in a video call on a tablet-like piece of silver.

Political career of Arnold Schwarzenegger

No one expected this! Arnold Schwarzenegger was a popular actor in the 1990s, but ‘Daredevil’ successfully predicted his future political career. In a scene in the film, Spartan is seen riding in a car with Lenina after she explains that she was watching some newsreels from the Schwarzenegger library.

The hero is shocked by the information and asks: “Schwarzenegger Library?” And Lenina confirmed: “Yes, the Schwarzenegger Presidential Library. He wasn’t an actor when you were… The Spartan asks: ”Wait, was he the president? Lenin says: “Yes! Even though he wasn’t born in this country, his popularity at the time led to the 61st Amendment—,” but Spartan interrupts him again, saying he ‘doesn’t want to know.’

Although the actor did not become the President of the United States, a few years later, in 2003, he made a career in politics. He was the 38th governor of California between 2003 and 2011, and has already expressed his desire to run for president. In fact, he recently reiterated that he would be willing to accept the challenge if the law was changed so that he could work as a naturalized citizen.

Who knows when ‘The Daredevil’ might fit another prophecy, does it?

Watch the trailer for the 1993 action film below.