You’ve probably seen at least one example in your life of “science fiction” predicting current technology. Some examples include:
Will Smith’s character in I, Robot took advantage of the internet, which didn’t exist in its modern form until ten years after that movie came out.
The handheld device in Back to the Future 2 was very similar to today’s smartphones.
She (2013) portrayed a man falling in love with an AI operating system long before Amazon or Google made advancements in this area.
The thing is, these types of predictions aren’t new. As early as 1898, HG Wells wrote about television sets, and by 1926 his wireless broadcast signals were already being sent around the world. Even further back than that, Leonardo Da Vinci predicted (among other things) the helicopter, tanks, and many modern devices.
However, it’s not just technology that can be predicted; sometimes, future cultural movements are also shown in movies. Psychic abilities were reflected in movies like A Stir of Echoes (1999), Carrie (1976), Firestarter, and Scanners. The idea of augmented humans or cyborgs is common in science fiction, but we’ll focus on one specific case: Transmetropolitan, written by Warren Ellis and illustrated by Darick Robertson. This comic series first came out in 1997 and ran until 2002.
Transmetropolitan was a brilliant prediction of our current social-political climate and future fashion trends, especially those that involve tattoos and piercings.
The comic follows a journalist named Spider Jerusalem, who despises the corrupt government and tries to bring it down any way he can. As the series progresses, we begin to see that some of his tactics involve embracing everything that modern society condemned: anarchy, drug use, and irresponsible sexual activity, to name a few. The entire time, he is being chased by so-called “Judges,” law enforcers with regular people’s DNA fused with animal DNA. They have enhanced strength, speed, and senses, as well as razor-sharp claws on their hands and feet. In many ways, they resemble werewolves but are more human in appearance. Furthermore, thanks to genetic engineering, they don’t seem to require sleep, nor do they suffer from low body temperature. They also seem to be tireless and immune to most human diseases.
Transmetropolitan predicted that we would develop animal/human hybrids in the future and the social acceptance of sexual activities like public nudity and prostitution. It also portrayed a negative view of current Christian beliefs, with Spider Jerusalem calling God “a harsh and monstrous God.”
If you are interested in reading more about Transmetropolitan, it is currently being made into a film by David Fincher (Fight Club, Gone Girl). The cast includes Thomas Jane as Spider Jerusalem, Matt Damon as his editor Mitchell Royce, Jodie Foster as the President’s chief of staff Adrian Vega, Elisabeth Moss as Yelena Rossini, and Brad Pitt as former judge turned crime lord Channon. The screenplay is adapted by Jeff Whitty (Where the Wild Things Are).
As for when Transmetropolitan will be released, that’s anyone’s guess. Fincher has only finished two movies in the past five years: an episode of Netflix’s House of Cards and Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Even Girl With the Dragon Tattoo was pushed back multiple times before its release in 2011.
When it does come out, you’ll want to make sure not to miss it; Transmetropolitan predicted most of our current social issues with incredible detail almost 20 years ago.
