ScreenRantis fundamentally a community of passionate fans, so it’s no surprise that fan theories are so integral to sparking some of the most fascinating conversations on the site. As part of the Screen Portfolio atValnet Inc., a leading digital media company thatowns and operates a portfolio of 27 brandsacross entertainment, gaming, and lifestyle,ScreenRanthas built a loyal global audience by embracing and elevating fan culture. Founded on the principle that passionate fans make the best storytellers, the brand is home to reporters who don’t just write about movies and TV, they live and breathe them. Naturally, fan theories have become a core part of the site’s DNA, sparking some of the most insightful and entertaining conversations across its channels. These are the discussions that can take tiny hints and clues from a property and build them into intricate concepts of what’s to come - and while some are so unlikely that they exist more as a joke than anything, plenty of fan theories have been proven right, or even actively adopted by the writers in future seasons.
Some of the most interesting (and enjoyable) fan theories of all time include the R+L=J theory fromGame of Thronesand theStar Warstheorythat Jar Jar Binks is actually a Sith Lord. The first of these, of course, did eventually pan out (in the show, at least - A Song Of Ice And Fire has yet to reveal all its secrets). The second… well, the Star Wars universe is always expanding its lore! But what elevates a fan theory from wishful thinking to genuinely engaging?Our team of experts has determined what makes a perfect fan theory.
Theories Allow Fans To Join In On The Creativity
Our Experience With Movies & Shows Don’t Stop When The Credits Roll
The best movies and shows stay in the viewer’s mind long after they have ended. Sometimes, our journeys with movies and shows never stop because we never want to stop thinking about them and pondering the possibilities.These endless hours of thinking and dissecting lead to fan theories, which are the perfect way for viewers to join in on the creativityof a project.Jordan Williams, Streaming Movies/TV Features Editor for ScreenRant, claimed that fan theories are perfect for those who can’t stop thinking about a particular movie or show.
Fan theories continue to be one of the strongest ways to keep audiences engaged and foster a community of fans who can’t help but stop thinking about that TV or movie moment after it happens. – Jordan Williams, Features Editor
“Once you become in tune with the writers, the patterns of a certain franchise, and the tones they follow with their story, you can get a better idea of where that moment is heading by trying to get into the writers' and creators’ minds.”
A great fan theory is one that not only proves mastery in understanding the fundamental goals and themes of a story or character, but is also backed by keen analysis and, often, a deeper passion for the content at hand to explain the unexplainable. The best fan theories are the ones that even the writers themselves might look at and have to give props to. Rather than being overly analytical, they bring logic, excitement, and a way to bring the fandom closer together with constructive engagement.
Read More:These Star Wars Fan Theories Make So Much More Sense Than The Canon
Of course, it’s not just fans who love to get involved with theories! Actors can also have fun figuring out what might happen, especially when they don’t know what the long-term plan is for a storyline. TheSchool Spiritscast recently spoke to ScreenRant about some of their favorite season 1 theories, now that the show has resolved some of those mysteries in season 2.
An important note that Jordan makes is that the most popular and effective fan theories are always logical. This argument is backed up byMansoor Mithaiwala, ScreenRant’s Lead Features Editor, who pointed out thatfan theories need to have a “degree of plausibility.“In his analysis of effective fan theories, Mithaiwala compared an illogicalStar Warstheory to a fascinating theory that turned out to be true inWestworld. He said the following:
“Someone saying Luke Skywalker is going to come back as a Force Ghost and kill Palpatine sounds ridiculous because there’s no real precedent for it,” he says, “Whereas someone saying Ed Harris and Jimmi Simpson’s characters are the same people in Westworld makes sense because you can string together the different timelines, the clothes, the story focus, etc.”
As Mithaiwala stresses, fan theories need to be backed up by a lot of evidence to be convincing. At ScreenRant, our writers take pride in analyzing every small detail of movies and TV shows so that we can effectively contribute to these theories.ScreenRant’s writers report on theories from the most thought-provoking TV shows, such asSeverance,Yellowjackets,Lost,Breaking Bad,The Walking Dead, and countless others. Mithaiwala took things a step further and outlined three qualities of the most effective fan theories. Read what he had to say below:
“The best fan theories, firstly, must be easily understood on a fundamental level,” Mithaiwala says. “Readers must be easily convinced of the theory’s validity, and lastly, must take into account the actual direction the creatives behind the project are going in. These things are all important because if a theory is overly complex or out of left field for that franchise, a writer, producer, or director isn’t going to want that in their product. This is especially true for comic book films, but not always the case for mystery box shows.”
Mithaiwala mentioning comic book films is very important, as there is perhaps no franchise with more fan theories than theMarvel Cinematic Universe. While people come up with fan theories for a wide range of movies and shows,it is the theories that have to do with major franchises that usually stand out among the pack.
Fan Theories Make Your Favorite Franchises Even Better
Fan Theories Thrive In Major Franchises
In addition to his analysis of great fan theories, Mithaiwala described some fan theories as “pipe dreams” and claimed that we saw an influx of these in 2019 ahead of the releases ofAvengers: EndgameandStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. It is undeniable that some of the most popular fan theories are about major franchises likeStar Warsand Marvel. Therefore,heading towards the release of two more majorAvengersfilms and several newStar Warsmovies, now is the perfect time to reflect on the impact of fan theories.
Speaking of the MCU, Molly Freeman, who is the Superheroes Lead at ScreenRant, reflected on the theory that Angela del Toro will become thenew White Tiger inDaredevil: Born Again. Molly rightfully pointed out that fans of the MCU can approach theories differently from some other franchises, sincea lot of the movies and shows coming from Marvel Studios are inspired by comic book storylines. In her analysis of this particularDaredevil: Born Againtheory, she said:
“A good fan theory is one that is truly feasible, and makes sense within the context of the media we’re discussing. For example, a good fan theory for an upcoming MCU release uses evidence from the movies and TV shows released by Marvel Studios rather than from the comics, which aren’t canon. While the comics sometimes back up a theory, like Angela del Toro in Daredevil: Born Again becoming the new White Tiger, it needs to make sense within the MCU first, which, in this case, it does.”
This isn’t the only example of a fan theory becoming part of canon, either. While it’s rare for writers and creators to openly adapt a single fan theory into a universe, many in the industry have talked about how they do read fan theories, and those can often provide some inspiration for where a story goes. In 2023,Kevin Wright (Executive Producer) spoke to ScreenRant aboutLokiseason 2, and how the show dealt with fan theories:
“I’m going to admit, I love reading all that, and we would read all of it in season 1, we would read everything afterwards, I would joke about it with Tom, all of it goes into the blender. Oftentimes, it’s not really influencing you other than you’re aware of it. And, something that Kate [Herron] and I talked a lot about in season 1 that led to everything we did now in season 2 with Justin and Aaron was like, “We know people are watching it that way, and that every frame is going to be frozen and looked at, so anything that you’re putting there needs to be highly intentional, and be able to withstand the scrutiny of people looking at it.
I think, to us — to me specifically — it’s a nice way to engage with the audience and be like, “I know you’re looking, and we know that you’re looking, so we are going to put things there to acknowledge I know you’re looking. And maybe some of those things are pointing in the right direction, others might be there to purposely throw people off, or make them think one thing so that we can hit them harder with something else.”
In addition to the MCU,Star Warsis another franchise that has innumerable fan theories.ScreenRant’s Tom Bacon, who specializes in reporting on the galaxy far, far away, reflected on a fan theory that he is currently most excited about. This theory claims thatNatalie Portman will return inAhsokaseason 2not as Padme, but as the cosmic entity Abeloth. It’s theories like this that drive Bacon’s passion forStar Wars. Talking more about why he loves theorizing about his favorite franchises so much, Bacon said, “I grew up loving detective stories, tales where great detectives like Sherlock Holmes join the dots and figure out what’s going on. For me, that’s the fun of fan theories; spotting things that connect, figuring out the possibilities.”
Gaming’s Wildest Theories: Fan Deduction Meets Digital Worlds
Fan theories in gaming tap into the same creative energy as those in film and TV, but with the added twist of interactivity. Because video games often leave clues scattered throughout expansive worlds in the form of hidden items, cryptic dialogue, secret endings. Players become amateur detectives, piecing together lore that developers may only hint at. “When writing about someone else’s theories, you just want to credit, develop their theory, and add more to it, “GameRant Features Lead Joshua Duckworthsays. “It’s just a conversation, and most fandoms love having conversations over theories. I wouldn’t necessarily be skeptical; it just goes back to the idea that one fact could prove it wrong. ‘Grain of salt’ does a lot of work for any speculation, and at the end of the day, you just want to pay proper respect to the theorist and engage with it.”
It’s always fun trying to prove myself wrong and just ending up convincing myself even further. –Joshua Duckworth, GameRant Features Editor
Sometimes, theories even shape how players experience a game, turning walkthroughs into investigations and transforming Easter eggs into meaningful plot devices. The team at GameRant is constantly exploring these layers of meaning, giving fans a platform to debate and decode. “That’s pretty much the modus operandi for features, lore and speculating upon it,” Duckworth says. “It’s often us theorizing, but all the same. One time that comes to mind is when I wrote upthis articleabout Dragon Age’s Thedas itself being Tranquil (uh, franchise thing, not like definitionally). My big thing is I think one solid fact can tear any theory down, whereas you need a bunch of possibilities to posit a theory.”
Read More:Grand Theft Auto 6 Trailer 2 Sparks New Theory About Iconic GTA 5 Mission
Based on comments from Jordan, Mansoor, Molly, Tom and Joshua, it is evident that the perfect fan theory is one that is both logical and drives audience excitement.Theories are another way for fans from all around the world to come together and talk about their favorite movies and shows, which is what we try to encourage every day on ScreenRant. If you want to learn more about fan theories for your favorite movies, shows, franchises, and characters, head over toScreenRantand join a growing community of passionate fans.
For some more of the most interesting fan theories, check out:
“I Even Wondered”: Severance Season 2’s Popular Fan Theory About Miss Huang’s Connection To Gemma & Mark Addressed By Star
This Avatar: The Last Airbender Fan Theory Suggests That Iroh Might Have Been In Control Of More Than We Realized
These 5 Lord Of The Rings Fan Theories Totally Change How I Look At Tolkien’s Story
These 10 Incredible Star Wars Fan Theories Make So Much More Sense Than The Canon.
