When watching a movie, most viewers will just sit back and present the story as it is, taking everything presented at face value and not reading too much into things. But as fans go back for multiple viewings, some begin to suspect that there's something afoot. They pour over each frame and scene, piecing together evidence that supports their own unique interpretation for what's going on, and sometimes they might be on to something.
Theories about popular films are in abundant supply, with each new release serving up more fodder for curious minds. Some are more ridiculous than others, but there are those that hold some weight and may change how one looks at a movie.
Here are Screen Rant's 10 Movie Theories That Will Blow Your Mind.
Star Wars
Even the most devout Star Wars fan will mock the ineptitude of the Imperial stormtroopers. Throughout the original trilogy, they frequently miss their targets despite being trained soldiers. Obi-Wan Kenobi's remark about how the stormtroopers are precise with their weapons retroactively became one of the greatest jokes in the series. But what if the army's inability wasn't a lack of skill, but a deliberate choice?
One theory provides some redemption for the maligned stormtroopers, suggesting that Darth Vader instructed them to let the main heroes survive because he had bigger plans for them. It seems strange considering all the danger Luke, Han, Leia, and Chewie found themselves in while on the Death Star, but it makes some sense. The Empire did not discover the location of the hidden Rebel Alliance base until after the Millennium Falcon escaped, which never would have happened if the protagonists died. Also, the stormtroopers are shown to be precise killers in the opening sequence, so there could be some truth.
Aladdin
Everybody loves the Genie in Disney's animated Aladdin, but there's one aspect of the character that's troubled older viewers. How is it that he can imitate modern celebrities in a story that takes place in the past? But the film could be set in a post-apocalyptic future, with a slip of the tongue by the Genie himself serving as the biggest clue.
At one point in the film, the Genie says that Aladdin's outfit is "too third century," but that line of dialogue is somewhat confusing. When Aladdin first rubs the lamp to let the Genie out, he remarks that he's been in there for 10,000 years. This would be the year of Aladdin 10,300 at the earliest to explain Genie's knowledge of third century fashion. It perhaps is set even later in time, given all the impressions Genie does throughout the film, which are based on 20th century pop culture. Who knew Aladdin could be Mad Max for kids?
Pulp Fiction
Ever since Quentin Tarantino's gangster opus premiered in 1994, fans have been trying to figure out what's in the briefcase. The contents of the MacGuffin are never shown; the only clue is a glowing aura of gold. One popular hypothesis is that the case is holding the soul of Marsellus Wallace, the crime boss of L.A., and Jules and Vincent are trying to return it to him.
The theory stems from Wallace's first appearance, where he is shown with a Band-Aid across the back of his head. According to religious beliefs, when Satan claims your soul, he acquires it through the back of one's head. There's also the fact that the combination to open the briefcase is 666, the number of pure evil. Viewers may never know for sure what everyone was after, but this is a sound interpretation that gives an already classic film a spiritual layer.
Reservoir Dogs
Fans of Quentin Tarantino's filmography know that the director's movies are connected in subtle and intricate ways. For instance, Mr. Blonde of Reservoir Dogs and Vincent Vega of Pulp Fiction are brothers. But there could be a more overt tie between those two crime pictures. Some think that the jewel heist of Reservoir Dogs takes place on the same day as the Jules and Vincent story in Pulp Fiction.
This would explain a couple of puzzling elements about the "Bonnie Situation" segment in Pulp Fiction, namely the notion that our intrepid "heroes" were able to fire guns in an apartment building and drive a blood-soaked car through Los Angeles without any police interference. The cops were preoccupied trying to stop the color-named jewel thieves before they got away with the valuables, so they had to put another disturbance on hold until more bodies were free. It is crazy to think that Jules and Vincent get away cleanly, so maybe there's something to this.
The Avengers
Earth's Mightiest heroes seemed to take care of an Asgardian god a little too easily in their first team-up venture, even if they did have Loki outnumbered. How were they able to do it? In classic Loki fashion, the villain may have been in on it the whole time and lost on purpose to serve his personal wants and desires.
The theory goes that Loki willingly accepted defeat at the hands of the Avengers so Thor would take him back to Asgard as punishment, helping Loki launch a diabolical scheme. Fans know from the first Thor movie that Loki wishes to rule over the realm, and by the end of Thor: The Dark World, he's sitting in the throne, impersonating his adopted father Odin to his sheer delight. As the god of mischief, Loki is one of the more cunning and diabolical villains in Marvel lore. This hypothesis paints him in a better light.
The Rock
Did Michael Bay direct a secret James Bond movie when he made this 1990s action hit? Some say he might have, suggesting that Sean Connery's John Mason is meant to be an aging 007 still in the field and never backing down from a fight. The Rock mentions that Mason has been in prison for 33 years, which lines up with the peak of Connery's tenure as the famous spy (which ended in 1971). It's also noted that Mason has no identity and doesn't exist, a sly nod to the now legendary "James Bond is a code name" theory.
The script plays the theory up even further, saying that Mason was trained by British intelligence and is a lethal killer (sound familiar?). Mason even parodies Bond's classic one-liner from Diamonds Are Forever, "Well, of course you are," when meets Nic Cage's Stanley Goodspeed. This may be wishful thinking on the part of Bond fans who never wanted to see Connery leave the franchise, but you have to admit, it does sound pretty tantalizing.
The Dark Knight Trilogy
One of the strongest elements of Christopher Nolan's take on the Batman mythos was the relationship between Bruce Wayne and his loyal butler Alfred J. Pennyworth. The two have a strong bond that eventually falls apart, as Alfred can't bear to watch his beloved Master Wayne go out to his death as the Caped Crusader past his prime. Some fans have suggested that there's more to the two's dynamic. Alfred could be Bruce's biological father, not Thomas Wayne.
The evidence is rather slim, but the most pertinent clues are in the interactions between Bruce and Alfred. Those who support the theory say Alfred is a little too emotionally attached to Bruce to just be an ordinary butler, and his occasional sarcastic quip directed towards Bruce is similar to the behavior of a dad teasing his son, not a butler aiding his employer. Of course, this could just be the effects of Alfred being Bruce's surrogate father and developing this form of relationship with him over time, so we'll leave this one up to you.
Toy Story 3
The third installment of Pixar's flagship trilogy brings back the original film's villain in a cameo role. Sid appears as a garbageman, collecting pails around Andy's neighborhood. It seems like an odd profession for someone who was so adept at building things, but there could be an ulterior motive to Sid's career choice. A theory proposes that Sid became a garbageman so he could save the toys that have been thrown away by others.
Sid is, presumably, the only one in the Toy Story universe that knows the toys can come to life and are more than just pieces of plastic. As penance for his former crimes, he becomes a guardian of the toys so he can save them from the dump and they live on in happiness. There's no way of knowing for sure, but it would serve as a nice conclusion to Sid's story in the series and give him a touching arc from where we first met him.
Titanic
Audiences fell for the romance between Jack and Rose in James Cameron's Oscar winning epic, but what if the two were never really together? Some believe that Jack didn't really exist and was a figment of Rose's imagination as she battled a bout of depression. Jack Dawson represented her fantasy of the ideal man and helped her stand up to an abusive fiancé so she could choose her own path.
This would provide an explanation as to why there are no records of Jack available, which is odd even for a member of the lower-class. In addition, the elderly Rose notes that Jack only exists in her memories, lending credence to this theory. It may be somewhat confusing to wrap your head around, considering Jack has interactions with plenty of other characters outside of Rose, but when one recalls Fight Club and how people talked to Tyler Durden and the Narrator, things clear up a bit. This would put an interesting spin on the old school Hollywood love story to say the least.
Ghostbusters
Egon says that the team cannot cross the streams, or else they'll cease to exist. However, that's exactly how they get the upper hand on the bad guys and save the day at the end of this legendary comedy. Once everything's over, they hit the streets of New York to celebrate, but it may not have been as happy as it seemed. One theory puts a somber twist on the conclusion, turning the Ghostbusters' victory into a heartbreaking sacrifice for the good of their city.
According to the theory, the gang died shortly after crossing the streams, and what we see immediately after is their elaborate fantasy as they cross into the afterlife. The fact that there's a Ghostbusters 2 would seem to contradict this notion, but the followup is accounted for in the theory as well. The sequel has the Ghostbusters in purgatory; the second film essentially retells the same narrative from the first, though slightly skewed, and nobody seems to have any recollection of what happened in the original. That is strange, considering there was a giant marshmallow man attacking the Big Apple.
Conclusion
Those are our picks for movie theories that will blow your mind. Are there any we missed? Which theories are your favorites? Sound off in the comments section below and be sure to subscribe to our channel for more fun videos like this one!