In our new era of social distancing and self-isolation, streaming has been the one (mostly) reliable outlet for people to ride out their individual quarantines and hopefully slow the spread of coronavirus. However, fans of The Purge have noticed an unnerving coincidence amid their binge-watching.
The Purge first hit theaters in 2013 and focused on a family who go into lockdown during a 12-hour window where all crimes are legal. Including murder. While the first film launched a franchise that includes several sequels and a TV series, it was set in the year 2022. However, as the screencap reveals, there is a moment of camera footage that took place on March 21, 2020. Given the unusual circumstances that coronavirus has created around the world, and the fact that the initial tweet was posted on March 20, it definitely caused a reaction.
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Look at the date on the Purge Movie 🤦🏾♂️ pic.twitter.com/KlB1qjXUIz
— JO$H JONE$ (@jappoffjones) March 20, 2020
“I need everybody to calm down there will be no purge on my birthday,” replied one person.
“Going STRAIGHT to Gamestop, the local pawn shop, and the gun shop. Maybe not in that order (or maybe that order),” added another.
“That’s not even the earliest date in the movie,” countered a third. “[It] goes as far back as 2017 (that’s when the very first Purge was)… let these conspiracies go.”
As people continue to engage in social distancing, with many planning to ignore what President Donald Trump hinted at in a press conference today, some studios have stepped up to offer recent theatrical releases on-demand. This not only gives people stuck at home more stuff to watch but also helps the studio recoup some of their losses, given that most movie theaters are closed for the time being.
Among a slew of offerings from Universal’s recent slate, including The Hunt and The Invisible Man, the Ben Affleck sports drama The Way Back will also be available. Additionally, more than 20 streaming services have made some of their content available to help viewers bide their time throughout quarantine.
According to The CDC, there are currently 33,404 reported cases of coronavirus in the U.S., with 400 confirmed deaths. As a number of states and communities are in various stages of lockdown, The World Health Organization has tips on what individuals can do to help contain the virus on its website.
