FXYou think you have your favorite movie figured out? Think again. While you were busy rewinding your VHS or skipping back to the main menu on the Blu-ray (depending on what year you first watched your favorite film), others were hard at work long after the credits rolled trying to put together evidence that proved that their bats--t insane theory was true.
Well, we call them bats--t, but they actually make complete sense when you really think about it. Or when you don't think about it too much. Either way: mind = blown.
We scoured the Internet, from reddit to the deep recesses of Tumblr (which is a scary, scary place) to find the most mind-blowing fan theories about your favorite movies that make you think about the film in a completely different way:
1. Titanic: Jack is a time-traveler
Theory: Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) is actually a time traveler who is sent back in time to make sure Rose (Kate Winslet) doesn't commit suicide by jumping off the Titanic. If she does, the ship would have to stop, thus preventing it from hitting the iceberg in the first place because the delay would lead to warmer weather by the time they get to that doomed spot in the ocean. And that change would alter the course of history forever.
Evidence: He has no money from that time period; he gambles for his tickets. He mentions landmarks that were not around in 1912, like Lake Wissota and the Santa Monica Pier. Plus, his haircut and his backpack were not accurate for that era. Hence, he's from the future and his only mission is to make sure Rose survives. That's why he is so concerned with her mere seconds after meeting her.
2. Harry Potter: The Dursleys are cruel to Harry for a reason
Theory: The reason the Dursleys are so mean to Harry is because he is a Horcrux and that evil poison has been affecting them for years.
Evidence: You might think that the Dursleys are terrible to Harry just for the sake of being a--holes, but when you think about who (or what) Harry actually is, you might understand their hatred. Harry is a Horcrux, as we learn later in the series, and we all know how terribly those things affect bystanders. Ron became cruel after wearing the necklace for only a few weeks. Imagine how messed up you would be if you lived with a Horcrux under the stairs for a decade?!
3. Toy Story: Sid grows up to become the garbage man you see in Toy Story 3
Theory: After being traumatized by the toys in the original Toy Story, the sadistic Sid grows up to become the garbage man seen in Toy Story 3 that specializes in fixing and collecting toys.
Evidence: The garbage man wears the same shirt that Sid wears in Toy Story, and he has the same mannerisms. But the most important part of the theory is the idea that Sid became a garbage man because he knew toys were alive. He wanted to make sure broken toys that got thrown out got rescued and fixed. He was protecting them, basically.
4. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory: Wonka always knew the kids would meet their doom
Theory: The crazy events that happened to those kids in the chocolate factory in the original 1971 film were no accidents. Wonka knew what was going to happen all along.
Evidence: After Augustus gets sucked up into the pipe, the group boards the boat to go through the scariest tunnel of all time. But if you look closely, you'll notice there is only enough seats for the current group, meaning that Wonka knew they'd be minus two participants at that point. Later on they drive the car that shoots out cream and there are only four seats. The tour was planned around the dwindling numbers. Why does he want those kids to meet their demise? They are many theories regarding Wonka's motive, but some people say the kids help him make the candy.
5. Peter Pan: Peter Pan is actually the angel of death
Theory: Peter Pan is actually an angel that holds hands with kids as they pass on to the next life, aka Neverland.
Evidence: The reason these kids never grow up is because they're all dead. Peter appears before dying kids and makes sure to fly them off safely to heaven. And when you consider the original tale of Peter Pan, it kind of makes sense,.
In the original story, it's thought that Peter Pan murder lost boys before they can get too old: "The boys on the island vary, of course, in numbers, according as they get killed and so on; and when they seem to be growing up, which is against the rules, Peter thins them out; but at this time there were six of them, counting the twins as two."
6. Aladdin: The whole movie takes place in the future
Theory: Aladdin is actually set in 10,300 A.D.
Evidence: The Genie calls Aladdin's clothes "so third century." And since we know the Genie has been locked in the lamp for 10,000 years, then that means the year is actually 10,300! That would explain why the Genie makes so many current pop culture references. A more expanded version of this theory adds that the magic carpet isn't actually magic, it's futuristic hover technology. And Iago doesn't talk just because it's a Disney film; he talks because humans have created technology to make it so their pets can communicate with owners.
7. The Rock: John Mason is James Bond
Theory: Sean Connery's character is actually James Bond himself. He was caught spying in America and spends a big chunk of his life in prison for the crime.
Evidence: Well, he's a badass, for one thing. But also in the movie FBI Director FBI Director Womack says this about Mason: "This man does not exist not in the United States or Great Britain." Duh, because James Bond is actually a code name! Plus, the time frame more or less would match up with Connery first appearing in Dr. No in 1962.
8. The Dark Knight Rises: Batman dies in the end
The Theory: Bruce Wayne/Batman didn't use autopilot; he just dies to save the city. Alfred seeing him in Florence is just a hallucination.
Evidence: Would Bruce Wayne actually ever give up being Batman? It's fitting that he would die to save the city, and Alfred is so distraught and broken-hearted after losing the boy he raised that he imagines seeing him happy with Selina at the end of the movie because it comforts him.
9. Back to the Future: Doc Brown was trying to commit suicide when he was testing the DeLorean
The Theory: Doc Brown was ready to die during the first time travel test. That is why he aims the car at himself.
Evidence: Doc Brown mentions that his past experiments have all been failures, so he was ready to give up on his life's work and die if this final time travel experiment didn't work. He stands in front of the car, ready to meet his maker should it fail. But it doesn't, and through his adventures with Marty he finds that life is worth living again. If you want to get darker, some fans think that he was ready to take Marty out with him, which is why he grabs onto Marty when the kid tries to run away.
10. Ghostbusters: The gang died after crossing streams
Theory: Crossing the streams from their proton packs did lead to the Ghostbusters death, and all the celebration afterward was a posthumous party to honor the fallen Ghostbusters.
Evidence: Crossing streams is super dangerous, as we are taught in the first Ghostbusters so yeah, that probably killed them. The second movie is actually the Ghostbusters stuck in purgatory and that's why no one seems to remember them or what they did for the city. An alternate but similar theory insists that the Ghostbusters blew up the entire city when they crossed streams and everyone is stuck in purgatory in the second film.
11. Inception: Cobb's totem isn't the spinning top
Theory: Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) was using a spinning top the entire movie as his token, but his token is actually his wedding ring.
Evidence: In the "real world," he doesn't wear a ring. But in the "dream world," he always has the ring on. It also makes the ending less ambiguous; you can see in the final scene that he's not wearing a ring. So he must be in the dream world.
12. Ferris Bueller's Day Off: The entire film takes place in Cameron's head
Theory: Ferris (Matthew Broderick) is merely a character that Cameron (Alan Douglas Ruck) makes up in his head to help him cope with his depressive personality. Ferris is his exact opposite of Cameron; the kind of dude Cameron wishes he could be.
Evidence: This would explain some of the crazier stuff that happens during the film (the parade), and the ending is really about Cameron finally accepting who he is and not needing his "Ferris" character anymore.
13. Grease: Sandy drowns in the beginning of the movie
Theory: Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) actually drowns on the beach in the beginning of the movie and the entire movie is an elaborate musical fantasy in her own head while she's in a coma.
Evidence: During the number "Summer Nights," Danny (John Travolta) sings a line about how Sandy nearly drowned. So the whole high school year is all inside Sandy's head as she teeters near death. The flying red convertible at the end always seemed out of place, but if you buy into this theory, that signifies Sandy finally passing on into heaven.
What do you think of these fan theories? Will they make you watch these movies differently? Or are these theories grasping at straws?