Top 20 Horror Movie Theories That Turned Out To Be True
#20: The Thing Has No True Form
Top 10 Horror Movie Theories That Turned Out To Be True
“The Thing” (2011)
As you surely know, the Thing’s key feature is its ability to mimic any form of life it assimilates. This led fans of the 1982 classic to wonder what it would look like if stripped of all its glamors, if anything. With the 2011 prequel of the same name, director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. answered this one question, by claiming it’s less like an actual creature and more like a “virus.” Sure, we’d prefer info from the OG maestro John Carpenter, but he’s been deliberately cagey about details, saying he knows who the Thing is at the end of his film, but that we never will.
#19: “Nope” Is About Aliens
The Ending of Jordan Peeles Nope Explained
“Nope” (2022)
Since “Get Out,” Jordan Peele movies have inspired endless analyses and theories, even when they have yet to be released. Promotional materials have loved to tease in this way, too, with the first posters featuring certain motifs. While the first one for “Us” showed a character holding a pair of scissors, “Nope’s” poster only gave us a cloud with a kite tail to go off of. With story details pending, fans immediately began to speculate that inside that cloud was an Unidentified Flying Object. Sure enough, the movie ended up featuring just such a UFO, only no one could have predicted its true, beastly nature.
#18: Sidney & Mark Got Together
“Scream 3” (2000)
Sidney Prescott has not had the best luck with relationships, even though she deserves a happily ever after. She finally got it, but we didn’t know about it for some time. In “Scream 3,” the franchise’s final girl seems to have some chemistry with LAPD Detective Mark Kincaid, but nothing is explicitly stated or acted upon. Mark’s last seen in the film’s epilogue getting chummy with the gang, leaving fans to wonder if this is only in a friendly capacity or something more. When it seemed like no sequel would ever be acknowledged, the fifth entry twenty-two years later finally confirmed that Sidney and Mark were not only married, but had kids. Now, what are the odds of getting McDreamy back on a “Scream” set?
#17: Michael Bay’s Shared Universe
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“Friday the 13th” (2009) & “Transformers” franchise (2007-)
This one’s a little tenuous, so bear with us. As many will know, Michael Bay directed the first live-action “Transformers” movie. As less will know, he’s also produced several horror remakes, including 2009’s “Friday the 13th.” What both films share is actor Travis Van Winkle, who plays characters named Trent in each. Granted, the characters have different last names in novelizations and deleted scenes, which we’ll let you decide if it’s a canon killer. But the characters’ same jerky attitude has led many to believe they’re one in the same. Several publications have reported on Bay confirming this, but the primary source seemingly can’t be found. Still, Mikaela was right to dump him, else she too end up at Crystal Lake.
#16: “Midsommar” Is a Fairy Tale
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“Midsommar” (2019)
This one delves more into themes than plot dynamics, but remains fascinating all the same. Ari Aster’s visually arresting film “Midsommar” follows Dani, a young woman who suffers the tragic loss of her family in the opening minutes. She later joins her boyfriend and his pals on a trip to Sweden, where they study and ingratiate themselves into a pagan cult. Things of course don’t go well, as Dani’s friends are killed before she’s crowned the May Queen. Early viewings had many likening it to themes of old-school fairy tales, and it wasn’t long before Aster shared the same sentiment. Now that it’s a fairy tale, there’s only one thing to do: wait for the Disney version.
#15: Clover Is a Deep Sea Creature
“Cloverfield” (2008)
The “Cloverfield” franchise has embraced mystery, even going back to the first film’s marketing campaign. Naturally, being a found footage POV movie, “Cloverfield” focuses more on the characters’ first-person experiences in the monster attack and less on creature backstory and exposition. This prompted fans to come up with their own explanations, like Clover being from outer space, but this was denied by producer J. J. Abrams. Rather, the alternate theory that it came from the Atlantic Ocean after being awakened by humans was confirmed in supplemental material. Abrams also confirmed that this Clover was a “baby,” which explains why the one seen in “The Cloverfield Paradox” is so much bigger.
#14: Killer Count
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“Scream VI” (2023)
This isn’t the first “Scream” entry, and it won’t be the last. While beforehand not a constant, it seemed like the franchise had gotten comfortable with having two killers per film. But upping the count to three has been a popular theory for each sequel, so it makes sense that the fans would eventually be right. While “Scream 2” originally went this way before a script leak forced them to pivot, it finally happens in “Scream VI” when it’s revealed the Bailey family is behind the killings in New York City. Technically speaking, though, you could count four killers if you include Jason from the film’s opening.
#13: Jason Is a Deadite
Freddy Vs Jason
“Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday” (1993)
Again, this is just one sequel director’s interpretation, but it still counts for this list. In the ninth “Friday the 13th” film, “Jason Goes to Hell,” spotted can be the Necronomicon - aka the Book of the Dead - along with the Kandarian dagger from the “Evil Dead” franchise. It’s just an Easter egg, but according to director Adam Marcus, it’s an entire explanation. His reasoning for Jason’s evil and undead nature stems from Mrs. Voorhees reading from the book to bring her son back to life. Whether you believe this or not, it did reportedly get the approval of “Evil Dead” creator Sam Raimi. And like as not, the closest to an actual crossover we’ll get is the comic book miniseries “Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash.”
#12: Predators Breed Aliens
“Alien vs. Predator” (2004)
Sure, the “AVP” movies exist firmly in their own branch of the universe, but it undeniably answers a few questions regarding the two species. In “Predator 2,” fans noticed a trophy Xenomorph skull aboard the Yautja ship. Given the animalistic nature of the former and hunting nature of the latter, this essentially confirmed that one species preyed on the other. But some fans speculated it went deeper than that. Given that Xenomorph breeding can be a controlled process, some thought that the Predators might’ve been doing so for the express purpose of hunting them. Sure enough, the first crossover movie reveals they’ve been doing this for thousands of years, with human incubators, no less. Whether the Predators created the Xenomorphs outright is a whole other theory.
#11: Time Travel
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“The Blair Witch Project” (1999)
“The Blair Witch Project” is a film better left ambiguous, but what are you gonna do when sequels come along? With the few details given regarding the first film’s actual plot, some fans have come to the conclusion that the three characters were transported back to the 1940s by the titular witch before coming across Rustin Parr’s cabin. It’s a little complicated to fully explain here, but the manipulation of time is at least confirmed in the 2016 sequel, simply titled “Blair Witch.” In it, the main characters separate in the woods before reuniting, only there’s significant disagreement in how long it’s been. Since the existence of the witch is also seemingly confirmed, so too is its ability to manipulate one’s perception of time.
#10: A Different Death
Top 10 Horror Movie Conspiracy Theories
“Pet Sematary” (2019)
When you’re remaking a well-known horror movie, you often want to stay within the general confines of the original but tweak a few small details to keep things fresh. With this in mind, fans foresaw a way that 2019’s “Pet Sematary” could make the classic story its own. In the Stephen King novel and 1989 adaptation, toddler Gage Creed is tragically killed by a speeding truck, and his father Louis revives him in the mystical grounds past the titular cemetery. Trouble is, nothing comes back the same. Seeing as Gage has an older sister Ellie in every version, fans figured it might be interesting if she was the one who turned. This was confirmed when the second trailer for the remake was released.
#9: Michael Myers Is Cursed
Michael Myers Vs Leatherface
“Halloween” franchise (1978-)
The ‘80s were inundated with seemingly unkillable slashers, most of them of the silent, lumbering variety. While fans are naturally going to come up with a slew of explanations, this 1995 sequel may be proof that some things are better left to the imagination. In “The Curse of Michael Myers” - the producer’s cut, anyway - it revealed that the titular villain was actually inducted into the Cult of Thorn, whereby he’s imbued with supernatural abilities and the drive to kill his family to ensure prosperity for the community. It’s honestly bad storytelling whatever way you slice it, but thankfully, this is just one of the multiple “Halloween” continuities, so you’re not beholden to it if you still want to enjoy the franchise.
#8: Kirby’s Survival
“Scream 4” (2011)
The “Scream” franchise has so many fan-favorite characters that it became known for revealing at least one survivor some time after the climaxes. However, one character’s fate that was left up in the air for several years was “Scream 4’s” Kirby Reed. After being stabbed twice and left for dead by Charlie, it seemed likely she bled out before authorities arrived. Dewey later only informs Jill of Sidney’s survival, but fans theorized that family confidentiality laws might’ve prevented him from mentioning Kirby. It seemed we’d never know when initial plans for sequels became shelved, but finally 2022’s “Scream” confirmed her survival with a subtle Easter egg. Hayden Panettiere then reprised the role in “Scream VI,” only her survival this time is much more definite.
#7: “Get Out” Is a Sequel to “Being John Malkovich”
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“Get Out” (2017)
Okay, this one is almost too ludicrous to actually be true, but when the creator confirms it, can we really argue? This theory stems from the movies’ inclusion of shared actor Catherine Keener. Supposedly, Keener plays the same character, who, after having experience managing a business whereby people can enter and control the mind of John Malkovich, takes on a new identity and teams with the elders to shake things up. She marries into the Armitage family, who has experience with neurosurgery, and together they’re able to perfect the process and start importing people into black bodies on a wide scale. Ludicrous, yes, but “Get Out” creator Jordan Peele has been quoted as saying, “As far as I’m concerned, it’s true.” So, there you go.
#6: Richie Is Gay
“It” (2017)
This theory actually goes all the way back to the original Stephen King novel. Readers inferred Richie Tozier’s playful ribbing of Eddie Kaspbrak as being more than friendly, even though King didn’t intentionally write it that way. The theory resurfaced in 2017 with the advent of the first theatrical adaptation. With the release of 2019’s “It Chapter Two,” Richie’s sexuality was indeed confirmed. Not only that, but it all but solidified the notion that Richie indeed had feelings for Eddie prior to the latter’s death. Though King’s been known to criticize major changes in his adaptations, he actually approved of the official inclusion, calling the added character detail “kind of genius.” It just goes to show that stories are constantly evolving, often for the better.
#5: “Split” Takes Place in the “Unbreakable” Universe
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“Split” (2016)
For many, the release of 2016’s “Split” marked a return to form for writer-director M. Night Shyamalan. For some, they suspected beforehand that it was a backdoor sequel to 2000’s “Unbreakable.” While “Split” is at heart a standalone psychological thriller, the fact that it centers on a killer with dissociative identity disorder - with one personality able to alter physical makeup and imbue superhuman abilities - had people wondering. Seeing as talks of a sequel to Shyamalan’s grounded superhero movie “Unbreakable” were heating up around the same time, fans wondered if that and “Split” were one and the same. Thankfully the secret was well-kept for most audiences, so the appearance of Bruce Willis’s David Dunn at the end remained a surprise.
#4: “Final Destination 5” Is a Prequel
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“Final Destination 5” (2011)
You’d think a movie called “Final Destination 5” would follow up the events of the first four. But that’s just what producers were counting on when they released it in 2011. Though the movie goes through the motions of a regular “Final Destination ” film, the final scene reveals it takes place in the year of 2000 and that the main protagonists are actually on the doomed Flight 180 from the original film. It’s a neat twist, and the movie surprisingly earned the highest marks of the franchise. Still, you can’t keep deductive fans down, as this plot point became a popular theory online beforehand. By the time they saw the movie and noticed subtle clues like out-of-date license plates, they knew the reveal was imminent.
#3: Lawrence Gordon Became an Accomplice
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“Saw” (2004)
The “Saw” franchise saw seven movies released every October between 2004 and 2010, but it wasn’t until the supposed “Final Chapter” that the most long-standing question got answered: what happened to Dr. Gordon? In one of the most shocking endings in movie history, the original “Saw” sees Gordon amputate his foot and crawl away in search of help. The idea of Gordon bleeding out seemed anticlimactic to fans, so his survival made the most sense. However, seeing as he’d need immediate medical attention and the fact that the bathroom never gets discovered led fans to believe he was helped by his very captors. And since Jigsaw recruits multiple victims, it made sense Gordon would join the team with a new lease on life. Sure enough…
#2: Jesus Christ Was an Engineer
“Prometheus” (2012)
This revelation doesn’t actually come about in the film itself, and it would frankly be quite crazy if it did. But it has been confirmed by director Ridley Scott all the same. In this sci-fi / horror prequel to the “Alien” franchise, it’s revealed that humanity was planted by a biologically similar extraterrestrial race known as the Engineers. About 2,000 years before the film’s events, Engineers attempted to wipe out humanity, but failed to even make the trip to Earth. Timeline-wise, fans theorized this was in conjunction with the days of Jesus Christ. Indeed, Scott later clarified that the attempted genocide would’ve been in response to humans crucifying an Engineer emissary, but Scott later removed this detail for being “a little too on-the-nose.”
#1: Jack Torrance Is the Reincarnated Caretaker
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“The Shining” (1980)
“The Shining” is one of those movies that transcends any one interpretation, perhaps even of its writer-director. But for the sake of this list, we’ll defer to Stanley Kubrick’s statements circa 1982. Though the film’s classic status took time to develop, hardcore cinephiles were already dissecting it. In this case, some took Jack Torrance’s appearance in a photograph taken at the Overlook in 1921 as an indication that he was a direct reincarnation of a previous caretaker. While others infer other things, like Jack was instead absorbed into the hotel, Kubrick was actually a proponent of the reincarnation theory. While his take certainly holds more weight than others, we’ll always love ruminating on multiple interpretations with this endlessly mystifying film.
