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70 Images Of A Future That Didn’t Quite Arrive, But Sometimes Got Surprisingly Close (New Pics)
I might be showing my age here, but I can’t be the only one who fondly remembers The Jetsons—you know, the futuristic cartoon with flying cars, robot housekeepers, and, of course, Astro the talking dog. I remember being in awe of their futuristic world, especially the idea that one day we might actually live like that. If you know what I’m talking about—or if you’ve ever found yourself enthralled by some fantastical vision of what the future might look like—this list might be just for you.
We’ve rounded up some of the most interesting posts from r/RetroFuturism, spanning decades of visions of what the future would hold. Some got a whole lot closer than you’d expect, while others are a reminder that the future rarely arrives the way we picture it (alas, I’m still waiting on talking dogs). But they’re a pretty fascinating mix of nostalgia and imagination either way.
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#1
GM Futureliner Showcase Bus 1939. Harley Earl
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#2
"Space Train". Shigeru Komatsuzaki. 1981
#3
"What The Heck Is Electronic Mail?" Honeywell Advertisement For E-Mail, 1981
#4
"Teledoctoring" Concept. 'Science And Invention In Pictures Magazine,' 1954
#5
"A Japanese Utopia" ("Ideal City Of The Future"). Tatsushi Morimoto. 1984
#6
Departures Of Tomorrow - New Departure Ball Bearings Ads, 1955
#7
Space Station Under Construction. Klaus Bürgle, Circa 1963
Dee Rutherford 3 weeks ago
Not too far off. They spend most of their time in space trying to fix it.
#8
Jean Giraud AKA Moebius (France, 1938 - 2012) Starwatcher
Janissary35680 3 weeks ago
I love Moebius' work. A lot of ıt appeared in "Métal Hurlant", a high-end French comic magazine, and in that magazine's US cousin, "Heavy Metal".
#10
Vehicles Of The Future - Shonen Club Magazine, 1936
#11
Paul Lehr (1930-1998)
#12
"London In The Year 2500". 1920's Advertisement
#13
The War Of The Worlds Ad Poster From Brazil, 1906. Art By Henrique Alvim Corrêa
#14
Odyssey Spacesuits. 1968. For '2001: A Space Odyssey', A Stanley Kubrick Masterpiece. Designed By Harry Lange Who Had Worked With NASA & Wernher Von Braun As An Illustrator
Multa Nocte (she/her 8647) 3 weeks ago
🎶Gather round while I sing you of Wernher von Braun - a man whose allegiance is ruled by expedience. Call him a Nazi he won't even frown. "Ha! Nazi, Schmatzi!" says Werner von Braun.🎶
#15
Byte Magazine, 1977. Robert Tinney
Inigo Montoya 3 weeks ago
Woohoo! Byte Magazine! I used to subscribe back in the day. Back when BASIC was cutting-edge.
#16
'Space Station,' Angus Mckie. 1978
#17
Space Colony Concept Art For NASA. Mid 1970s
#18
Otis Elevator Co Ad. 1975. John Berkey
#19
Yasutaro Mitsui With His Steel Humanoid Robot, Tokyo, Japan, 1932
UnclePanda 3 weeks ago
His popularity waning in the 40s, the robot later found work depicting the guy inside the rubber monster suits for numerous 50s era Japanese classic films.
#20
'Futureworld' Film Poster, Promotional Concept Art. Drew Struzan. 1976
#21
Moon Base Gaming Room - Paul Alexander, 1960
#22
Subsurface Lunar Colony. Robert Mccall. Circa 1977
#23
'Moon Base Central Plaza'. Pat Rawlings. 1986
FreeDragon 3 weeks ago
Gravity on the moon is 1/6 of that on earth. Those trees would not look like that. Flying like that would be great though.
#24
'Blade Runner'. 1982. Concept Art By Syd Mead . Interior Of A 'Police Spinner' Flying Vehicle
#25
Aldebaran Nuclear Pulse Jet / SSTO Spaceplane Concept. Dandridge Cole. Art By Roy Kerswill. 1965
#26
"Buergle Verkehr 1969". Klaus Bürgle
Bill Swallow 3 weeks ago
... So we'll all be driving giant hair clippers on huge balloon tires?
#27
Concept Art For The Film 'Black Hole'. 1979. Robert Mccall
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 3 weeks ago
Disney's best film. Maximillian is the best villainous robot ever.
#28
Star Trek Tricorder Box Art. Mego Corp. 1975. Artist Uncredited
#29
GMC (1955)
#30
"Gigantic Robots, Controlled By Wireless, To Fight Our Battles" (Fresno Bee, 1904)
General Anaesthesia 3 weeks ago
The article is from 1934, not 1904. The British Mark I was the first tank to see battle, during the Battle of the Somme in September 1916, so "taking the place of soldiers, _tanks_ and big guns" wasn't a 1904 fantasy. Those in the illustration look like modified/modernized Mark 1s.
#31
"Atoms For Peace". Frank Tinsley. 1956. Nuclear-Powered Dirigible
Multa Nocte (she/her 8647) 3 weeks ago
"Atoms for Peace" - sounds like something Trump would say. 😂
#32
'Engines' By Maciej Rebisz. From "Space That Never Was" Exhibition
#33
Brochure Cover And Interior Art For The British Kit Car Tici, 1972
#34
"Spaceport Of The Future". James R Powers. 1957
#35
Zaccaria "Future World," Pinball Playfield. 1978
#36
"Space Suburb" Concept. Graham Bleathman. 1995
#37
Richard Hescox I
#38
Darrell K. Sweet’s Cover Art For “Time For The Stars” By Robert A. Heinlein, 1978
#39
"Space Colony II". Shigeru Komatsuzaki. 1980
#40
'Discovery One' From 2001: A Space Odyssey. Artist: Oliver Rennert. Commisioned For A Book About The Making Of Stanley Kubrick's Seminal Film
#41
'Roads That Glow!'. Arthur Radebaugh. 1964. Originally Appeared In An Rca Print Ad For Transistors
Bill The Splut 3 weeks ago
Definitely better than streetlights! Or HEADLIGHTS, which the cars don't have.
#42
Inside-Out World By Roy Scarfo
#43
"Trans-Space". Peter Andrew Jones. 1979
#44
NASA Art . Robert Mccall 1964
Peter Bear 3 weeks ago
Looks like the average Imperial hangar from Star Wars. And given the direction the US is moving...
#45
Running Of The 200th Kentucky Derby. Syd Mead, 1975
#49
Bac Mustard (Multi-Unit Space Transport And Recovery Device) - 1962
#50
Toyota Maru 144 Cargo Submarine Concept. John Berkey. Late 80's
#51
'Pacific Breeze'. Simon Stålenhag From His Book 'The Electric State '
#52
"Lockheed Flatbed" Concept Late 1970's
3 weeks ago (edited)
I can only imagine the drag caused by uncovered machines. Not exactly aerodynamic. And the weight.
#53
First Men In The Moon (1964). The Interior Of The Space Ship Cavorite
Bill Swallow 3 weeks ago
The ship had no name. It was propelled via paint containing the gravity-opaque substance 'Cavorite'.
#56
"Shuttles At Work". Robert Mccall. Featured 1974 Book Our World In Space
#57
'Flying Gyron' Concept Art For Us Steel. 1961. Syd Mead
David Morgan 3 weeks ago
If it had a gyroscope inside, wouldn't that make it quite hard to change direction? Don't gyros have extreme inertia? The gyro can't be free-floating inside the car body like in an inertial navigation system, it would have to be connected somehow to the chassis so it was stable, in which case the chassis would have huge inertia too.
#58
"Space Patrol Car - Mahha". Cover Art For A Model Kit. Manufactured By Otaki. Artist Unknown. Classic Japanese Retrofuturism From 1968
Bill The Splut 3 weeks ago
They could've found better placement for the anti-car missiles. Not that there would be times i"d be tempted to use those...
#59
"Space Train". David Schleinkofer. 1981, For 'Science Digest '
#61
Steinwinter Supercargo 2040. Prototype. Unveiled At Frankfurt Motor Show 1983
#62
Robert Mccall Piece For An Isaac Asimov Book 'Our World In Space' 1974
#63
Back To The Future Part II Concept Art By John Bell, 1989
Bill Richman 3 weeks ago
Well, thank goodness the handle is reusable! Now pass me a paper straw, please.
#65
Peter Elson
#66
'Another Busy Day On Mars '. Robert Mccall. 1991
#68
Mcdonnell Douglas MD-2001 "Orient Express". A.A. Livery. 1985. Art By Horonzak
David Paterson 3 weeks ago (edited)
Yes please. The world needs supersonic planes. Having two tails is an important safety feature.
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What do you think ?
Chich the witch 3 weeks ago (edited)
We used to have such hope for the future. Just look at us now. Investigating chemtrails.
Darian Starfrog 3 weeks ago
For good reason! It was inevitable after exposing the fake covid vaccine scam..
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Kerri 3 weeks ago
It's interesting thinking about what futuristic things they thought we'd have vs. what we actually have. Like 3d printers, which are really cool and capable of a lot of different things, but I don't see anything remotely like it here. Or cellphones, little mini handheld computers that virtually everyone has. But a lot of the space colonization type of things are still a long way off
Paulsible deniability 3 weeks ago
So many visions of the future fail to recognize population density. Many of those concepts should be showing A LOT more people.
Chich the witch 3 weeks ago (edited)
We used to have such hope for the future. Just look at us now. Investigating chemtrails.
Darian Starfrog 3 weeks ago
For good reason! It was inevitable after exposing the fake covid vaccine scam..
Load More Replies... Kerri 3 weeks ago
It's interesting thinking about what futuristic things they thought we'd have vs. what we actually have. Like 3d printers, which are really cool and capable of a lot of different things, but I don't see anything remotely like it here. Or cellphones, little mini handheld computers that virtually everyone has. But a lot of the space colonization type of things are still a long way off
Paulsible deniability 3 weeks ago
So many visions of the future fail to recognize population density. Many of those concepts should be showing A LOT more people.
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