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'The Simpsons' has made some eerie predictions that could become a reality in 2025

Over the years, 'The Simpsons' has cemented its place as pop culture’s most uncanny oracle.

The Simpsons has cemented its place as pop culture’s most uncanny oracle. As fans ring in the new year, they are revisiting the show’s eerie track record of predicting the future, wondering if some of its more terrifying and bizarre scenarios could actually become a reality this year. From geopolitical turmoil to apocalyptic scenarios, the animated sitcom’s speculative episodes have ignited widespread intrigue— and a bit of dread.

One of the most shocking predictions concerns the outbreak of World War III. The notion first surfaced in a 1987 short where Homer panicked about war and led his family to build a backyard shelter. Later, in Season 6, Episode 19, Moe joked with Lisa’s British fiancé about the U.S. saving Britain in World War II, nudging the reply, "Well, we saved your a**e in WW3." As much as it seems humorous in context, this prediction feels unsettling in light of today’s geopolitical climate. With rising tensions in Europe and the Middle East, fans are left wondering whether this storyline might just come true.

Equally chilling is the show’s depiction of a global apocalypse. In the 2005 episode Thank God, It’s Doomsday, Homer becomes convinced the rapture is imminent after watching a movie about the end of the world. Although the episode concluded with Springfield surviving unscathed, the parallels to contemporary anxieties— climate disasters, pandemics, and societal upheavals— are hard to ignore. Could The Simpsons have tapped into a collective fear that feels more relevant than ever? Perhaps the most far-fetched yet oddly plausible scenario involves a zombie apocalypse. In Treehouse of Horror XX, a contaminated Krusty Burger unleashes a zombie virus on Springfield, leading Bart to save the day by vaccinating the infected. While it was fictional, the concept rings familiar, doesn't it?

In 2023, scientists revived a 'zombie virus' from permafrost, posing concerns about the potential dangers of ancient pathogens. Scared fans took to social media to echo both their amusement and apprehension. One user wrote, "As 2024 ends and 2025 begins, so does Season 16 as we're on the final 3 episodes where Homer thinks the world will end, Ned leaves Springfield and Bart goes to a Catholic school with Thank God, It's Doomsday, Home Away from Homer and The Father, the Son, and the Holy Guest Star." Another user added, "Guys don’t worry, there’s a ton of Simpson predictions that haven’t happened," as reported by Unilad.

As per The Independent, the show’s reputation for uncanny foresight isn’t without precedent. It famously predicted Donald Trump’s presidency in the 2000 episode Bart to the Future, where Lisa inherits a nation reeling from Trump’s tenure. Similarly, a 1995 episode depicted smartwatches nearly two decades before their debut, and the 1998 gag about Fox being owned by Disney became a reality in 2019. Even Lady Gaga’s 2017 Super Bowl performance mirrored her animated stunt in the 2012 episode Lisa Goes Gaga.