2001: A Space Odyssey – Did Kubrick Predict Our Future? – Dreams of Future Past, Episode 2

Episode 2: 2001: A Space Odyssey – Did Kubrick Predict Our Future?

It’s one of the greatest sci-fi films—and books—of all time. Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke teamed up to create 2001: A Space Odyssey, a movie that redefined the genre just as the Space Race and the moon landing captured the world’s imagination.

In this episode, we dive into how 2001 was made, the future it imagined, and why it still sparks debate more than 50 years later. From HAL 9000’s chilling calm to trippy star gates, we’ll unpack what the film got right, what it missed, and why its influence still looms large today.

What It Got Right

• Tablets, flat screens, video calls… and Zoom from the moon!
• Realistic space travel with rotating stations and orbital flights.
• HAL 9000 foreshadowing today’s AI assistants—and our fears about them.
• That sleek, modernist design that still looks futuristic.

What It Got Wrong

• No internet, no smartphones—just giant room-sized computers.
• Moon bases and commercial space flights by 2001 (we wish).
• Corporate-controlled, uniform visions of the future that feel very “1960s chic.”

Lasting Impact

• Turned sci-fi into serious, thoughtful cinema.
• Iconic use of silence and classical music in space.
• A counterculture touchstone—interpreted by some as the ultimate psychedelic trip.

Was 2001: A Space Odyssey a dead-end fantasy—or a destined reality? Just tune in and we’ll rate it, and leave you to decide.

Throughout history, people have imagined what the future might look like — sometimes in bold visions, sometimes in whimsical predictions. Dreams of a Future Past is a podcast that explores how humanity has dreamed of the future through movies, technology, philosophy, and design.

With an upbeat, conversational tone, the show will dive into iconic retro-futurist moments — from concept cars and world’s fairs, to sci-fi films and technology — and ask: what came true, what never did, and why? Along the way, listeners will discover the stories of inventors, businesspeople, and dreamers who helped shape our imagination of tomorrow.

Join McKay, Greg and Ian as they geek out over the future. What once was thought possible, and getting inspired by what might still be to come...