The Year 2025 in Science Fiction

Here’s how science fiction novels and movies imagined the year 2025. Science fiction vs reality: what actually happened?

Warning! This post contains spoilers.

Endgame [1983 Italian Film]

“Endgame: Bronx Final Battle” is a 1983 Italian post-apocalyptic film that captures a dystopian future set in 2025, following a nuclear holocaust in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Directed and produced by Joe D’Amato under the pseudonym “Steven Benson,” the film stars Al Cliver, Laura Gemser, and George Eastman.

In this grim future, New York City has become an irradiated wasteland, yet not completely abandoned. It is now home to scavenger packs and telepathic mutants who are relentlessly persecuted by the city’s elite survivors. To distract and pacify the populace, the elites sponsor a brutal reality TV show named “Endgame,” where gladiators fight to the death for substantial financial rewards.

The film’s protagonist, Ron Shannon (played by Al Cliver), is a seasoned fighter from the Endgame show. He is tasked with leading a dangerous mission to escort a group of mind-reading mutants to safety across a perilous desert. The journey is fraught with hazards, including blind fighting monks, nomadic predators, and government agents. Among the mutants is Lilith (Laura Gemser), who promises a fortune if Shannon can successfully complete the mission. However, complicating matters is Shannon’s friend turned nemesis, Karnak (George Eastman), adding a layer of personal conflict to the already treacherous mission.

Islands in the Net [1988 Cyberpunk Science-Fiction Novel]

“Islands in the Net” is a 1988 science fiction novel by Bruce Sterling (born April 14, 1954), a prominent figure in the cyberpunk genre. The novel is set from 2023 to 2025 and provides a vivid depiction of a world transformed by rapidly evolving technology, global interconnectedness, and shifting geopolitical landscapes.

The story follows the protagonist, Laura Webster, who works for a multinational corporation that handles data havens. These data havens provide secure data storage and communication services, operating outside of national regulations-a concept that was quite forward-thinking at the time of the novel’s publication.

Throughout the narrative, Laura and her family find themselves entangled in a series of global events that challenge their understanding of morality, legality, and the impact of technology on societal structures. The novel explores themes of terrorism, corporate power, and political activism, reflecting on the complexities of global governance and economic dependencies in a highly interconnected world.

“Islands in the Net” is celebrated for its prescient portrayal of the future, particularly in relation to the internet and its effects on global politics and the economy. Sterling envisions a world where the internet breaks down national boundaries, leading to both opportunities and challenges. The novel anticipates issues such as cyber warfare, the rise of non-state actors, and the struggles against the homogenizing forces of globalization.

Futuresport [1998 American Science Fiction Film]

“Futuresport” is a 1998 American science fiction film directed by Ernest Dickerson, set in the futuristic world of 2025. The film stars Dean Cain, Vanessa Williams, and Wesley Snipes, and presents a high-stakes sports drama intertwined with political intrigue.

The plot centers on Futuresport, a game that was originally invented as a non-lethal way to reduce gang violence through the fusion of basketball, baseball, and hockey, played on hoverboards. However, by 2025, the game has evolved into a globally popular professional sport, pivotal not just for entertainment but also for political resolution.

Bicentennial Man [1999 American Science Fiction Film]

“Bicentennial Man” is a science fiction film released in 1999, directed by Chris Columbus and based on a 1976 novelette named “The Bicentennial Man” by Isaac Asimov. The film stars Robin Williams as Andrew, a robot who undergoes a journey over two hundred years to become more human. The film explores themes of humanity, identity, and what it means to be alive.

On April 3, 2005, the Martin family welcomed a robot named “Andrew” into their home. Andrew was brought in to handle housekeeping and maintenance tasks. Upon his arrival, he introduced himself by presenting the Three Laws of Robotics.

By 2025, Andrew starts displaying unique personality traits and creative thinking that set him apart from other robots.

Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision [2003 American Cyberpunk Science Fiction Film]

“Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision” is a 2003 American science fiction film directed by Steve Boyum. It serves as a sequel to the famous 1994 film “Timecop” and stars Jason Scott Lee as Ryan Chan, the lead Time Enforcement Commission (TEC) officer. The film’s narrative revolves around the consequences and ethical dilemmas of time travel, set against a backdrop of action and adventure.

The film dives deeper into the complexities of time travel with improved technology at the disposal of the Time Enforcement Commission (TEC), the agency that monitors time travel, and still keeps the past safe (I think there are similarities here with Isaac Asimov‘s 1955 novel “The End Of Eternity” where the “Eternals” do the same). After the first film, the Society for Historical Authenticity (SHA) was formed to ensure that TEC agents do not alter history. However, the leader of SHA, Brandon Miller, believes he has a moral obligation to correct past wrongs.

In 2025, time travel technology has improved considerably (LOL) and Miller attempts to travel back to 1940 to assassinate Adolf Hitler, sparking a chain of events that leads to the death of his wife, Sasha, during a confrontation with TEC agent Ryan Chang.

Miller is subsequently imprisoned but escapes due to a mishap involving another TEC agent who merges with his younger self and ceases to exist, allowing Miller to leave on a technicality. Miller then embarks on a ruthless mission to eliminate TEC agents by killing their ancestors, effectively erasing them from existence. Ryan Chang becomes the last standing agent, tasked with stopping Miller’s drastic measures.

Ryan’s journey through time is fraught with personal and historical crises. He witnesses and influences various key moments, from preventing robberies in the 19th century to saving his own parents in the 1980s. Each leap through time brings unexpected changes to his world, complicating his mission. Ryan’s confrontation with Miller reaches its peak at the University of Southern California in 2002, where a dramatic encounter leads to a pivotal moment that could potentially rewrite both their fates.

Ultimately, Ryan navigates through these turbulent events, fighting to restore the timeline while grappling with the personal toll of his time travels, and returns to 2025 again, where he finds a world mostly restored, yet marked by the scars of their temporal battles, with personal memories of the ordeal lingering as silent reminders of his journey.

Chrysalis [2007 French Science-Fiction Film]

“Chrysalis” is a 2007 French science fiction film directed by Julien Leclercq, showcasing a futuristic Paris in 2025. The plot revolves around Lieutenant David Hoffman of the European Police, who is recovering from a personal tragedy involving the death of his wife, Sarah, during a shootout with the notorious human trafficker Dimitri Nicolov. As David returns to duty, he’s paired with Marie, the niece of a high-ranking Intelligence officer, to investigate a mysterious case involving the death of an illegal immigrant with peculiar brain damage and surgical marks.

Simultaneously, the narrative unfolds the story of Manon, a young woman recovering from a car accident in a high-tech clinic run by her mother, Professor Brügen. As Manon struggles with memory loss, marked by similar surgical signs as the dead immigrant, the film delves into a sinister world of memory manipulation. Brügen’s clinic harbors a dark secret: a military-grade technology called “Chrysalis,” capable of altering memories, which has been illicitly appropriated by Nicolov.

As David and Marie connect the dots between the clinic and Nicolov, the stakes rise. They uncover a conspiracy involving the theft and exploitation of memories, leading to a climactic confrontation. The narrative intertwines personal loss, ethical dilemmas over memory and identity, and the grim possibilities of technological abuse.

“Chrysalis” combines action with a deep psychological plot about trauma and the human psyche. The film is noted for its stylish execution and a claustrophobic atmosphere that blends sci-fi with noir. It’s a multi-layered thriller that questions the essence of identity and the morality of manipulating it, making the film not just a chase against a criminal mastermind but also a quest for personal redemption and truth.

Repo Men [2010 Science Fiction Action Film]

“Repo Men” is a 2010 American-Canadian science fiction action film directed by Miguel Sapochnik, set in the dystopian year of 2025. The film stars Jude Law, Forest Whitaker, and Liev Schreiber.

In 2025, artificial organs “artiforgs” can be bought on credit from a powerful corporation called The Union. These high-tech organs offer cures for many diseases but at a steep price, leading to a new kind of financial peril for the buyers.

The narrative centers around Remy (Jude Law), a repo man for The Union, whose job is to forcibly repossess organs when customers fail to make their payments. This grim task involves the fatal removal of organs from defaulting clients. The plot takes a dramatic turn when Remy himself suffers a cardiac failure on the job and awakens to find his own heart replaced with one of these expensive mechanical organs. Unable to make the payments for his new heart, Remy becomes a fugitive, hunted by his own colleagues, including his partner and close friend, Jake (Forest Whitaker).

As he struggles to evade capture, Remy confronts the moral ambiguities of his past actions and the ethics of the corporation he once loyally served. “Repo Men” intertwines intense action sequences with a deep critique of consumerism and corporate greed, highlighting the dehumanizing effects of a society where health and human life are commodified.

Her [2013 American Science-Fiction and Romantic Drama Film]

“Her” is a 2013 American science-fiction romantic drama film that delves deeply into themes of love, intimacy, and human interaction with technology. Written, directed, and co-produced by Spike Jonze in his solo screenwriting debut, the film follows Theodore Twombly (played by Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely man in the midst of a divorce, who forms an emotional attachment to Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), an advanced artificial intelligence virtual assistant designed to adapt and evolve.

Set in a near-future Los Angeles, Theodore works at a company that provides personal letters for people who struggle to express themselves. His life takes a significant turn when he installs the new OS1, which includes Samantha. Intrigued by her capacity to learn and feel, Theodore is drawn into a relationship with her, exploring the complexities of love and connection.

The narrative weaves through Theodore’s past and present relationships, highlighting his emotional growth and challenges. His interaction with Samantha leads to profound changes in his outlook, affecting his friendships and professional life. The film portrays their relationship with tenderness and depth, capturing the heartbreaks and joys similar to any human relationship.

“Her” premiered at the 2013 New York Film Festival and saw a wide release in the United States and Canada on January 10, 2014. It received widespread critical acclaim, particularly for its innovative script and Phoenix’s performance, and grossed over $48 million worldwide. The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay among other accolades and is regarded as one of the best films of the 2010s.

The film subtly indicates its futuristic setting through technological advancements and styles, suggesting it takes place around the year 2025. This is inferred from a series of pictures on a computer screen, titled “Happy 50th anniversary,” where the initial image aligns with mid-1970s aesthetics, pointing to a setting not later than approximately 2025, providing a speculative yet relatable future environment.

No dates are listed on any of the numerous computer screens seen at the main character’s home, office, or train station, nor does anyone say a year during the dialogue, though.

Sources

• List of films set in the future on Wikipedia
• List of stories set in the future now past on Wikipedia
• Bicentennial Man (film) on Wikipedia