Films typically garner viewership, promotions, and engagement, including fan theories. These theories shape the dedication to story speculation and sometimes prompt directors to adapt or incorporate the ideas into their stories.
Movie Insiderz collected six theories that reframe action movies and transformed their dynamics in terms of meaning-making for the general audience.
Disclaimer: The following fan theories are speculative and not confirmed by the filmmakers.
Six fan theories that reframe action movies
Red pill and blue pill in The Matrix (1999)
The Matrix franchise began with a bang and is still famous for one sole message amongst the rest: you always have a choice. One of the most iconic scenes in The Matrix (1999) shows Morpheus (played by Lawrence Fishburne) offering Neo (played by Keanu Reeves) a choice between the red and blue pills.
Choosing the red pill meant that Neo would learn the truth about the simulated world, while the blue pill would allow him to remain ignorant in the normal world. The implication of this theory is that the film’s core message centers on the significance and burden of choice in confronting reality as opposed to remaining comfortably unaware.
As explained by Wired,
“In reality, life is not as simple as “knowledge means power” and “ignorance means slavery.” In the Matrix, once you’re unplugged you see every lie.” [Source]
So, was the blue pill some sort of poison for Neo that might have killed him?
James Bond ordering martinis
Fans suggest that the way James Bond orders martinis is actually a form of coded communication with the bartender, who is possibly his informant. This theory implies that Bond’s drink preferences serve a hidden function beyond personal taste, recasting routine scenes as moments of covert interaction.
It is a general rule for martinis to be stirred and not shaken. Fans found it odd when Bond replied “perfect” to the martini that was “stirred and not shaken” in You Only Live Twice (1967). It was strange because that is how it actually and already was! Bond only wants his martinis to be shaken, not stirred. It’s the opposite.
James Bond isn’t really a secret agent
But what if James Bond was never a secret agent at all? James Bond roams around in flashy suits and orders the best drinks in the most public places ever. A secret agent wouldn’t do that, yes?
A secret agent is meant to be ‘secretive’ by staying low profile and not getting noticed. Bond could be acting as a distraction for the ‘real’ secret agents of the firm.
He could be a red herring for the criminals so that the real secret persons could do their jobs behind their backs, by disposing of a bomb or extracting passwords from their highly confidential systems, for example.
John Connor is not the original John Connor
There is a popular fan theory implying that John Connor only exists in the current Terminator timeline, and the original John Connor is not even there. There is a causal loop in the series of events where a temporal intervention was created by Kyle Reese.
Just for reminder’s sake, Kyle Reese is a resistance soldier sent from the future by John Connor to protect his future mother, Sarah Connor. As a result of a predestination paradox, he becomes John Connor’s father, portrayed by Michael Biehn in the film.
So, who is the original father of John Connor in the original timeline? Before any time travel existed, where was John Connor’s father? Was it really Reese? If not, then how was John Connor born? Is he actually alive or just the result of an altered timeline event? Is there any REAL John Connor?
An unspoken rule was violated in John Wick
One of the theories related to the John Wick franchise is that there is an unwritten code in the criminal world that might have been broken, leading to the chaos of John Wick (2014). It was not only about his dog; it was something bigger.
An untitled animated prequel to John Wick is reported to be confirmed and will soon be in production. Its plot suggests that it might tell the tale of John Wick’s life before John Wick 1.
It could feature an “impossible task”, which was to kill all his rivals in one night, giving him the direct right from the High Table to leave the assassins’ world and live his remaining life with his love, Helen.
It is theorized that if he has completed his task in the first movie, it gives him immunity from being the target, as well. Hence, when people attacked his dog, they did not know who they were messing with. And since Wick was a masterfully trained assassin, he did not leave any stone unturned in taking revenge for his dog’s murder, the break-in, and theft of his car. He clearly wanted to pay it back ruthlessly.
Ethan Hunt’s truth
Is it really possible for a spy to not get hunted, be perfectly aware of the guns, equipment, and systems without any error, and not suffer from lasting damage ever? Because this is the one question that stems from a Mission Impossible theory that Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) is a well-conditioned sleeper agent.
For clarification purposes, a sleeper agent is a spy who remains under deep cover and stays dormant until an espionage mission is activated to perform clandestine tasks.
Hunt is always classified and given tasks with a mechanical voice, “your mission, should you choose to accept it” in the most distinguished ways, such as with the self-destructing glasses in Mission Impossible 2 (2000).
He accepts virtually suicidal challenges and accomplishes the mission without any compromise with the help of his team. Why do none of his other team members get such tasks? Because Hunt is better programmed or successfully conditioned?
Maybe the conditioning didn’t work on his other team members, and they didn’t come out as strong as Hunt? That is why Hunt was the team leader and is trained to never crack under pressure.
Got a theory that tops these? Drop it in the comments — your idea might just make our next list!
Passionate Entertainment Writer | Trusted Pop Culture Voice
Madiha Ali is an experienced entertainment writer with over five years of expertise in covering movies, TV shows, celebrity news, and pop culture. Her bylines appear on trusted platforms like High on Films, Ary News, The Express Tribune, Tea and Banter, Show Snob, CelebFeedz, Snapfeedz, Daily Planet Media, The Irish Insider, and Movie Insiderz.
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When she’s not writing, she’s fully immersed in the world of entertainment—watching new releases, revisiting classics, exploring behind-the-scenes content, or reading books that fuel her creativity. Her passion for storytelling drives her work and helps her stay connected to what matters most in the industry.
Madiha believes great stories start conversations, challenge perspectives, and stay with us long after the credits roll. Through her writing, she continues to share those stories with clarity, depth, and heart.
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