Does the Sinbad Movie Shazam Even Exist?

Does the film “Shazaam” exist?

No, Shazaam has never been made into a full feature film. Despite many people having concrete memories of a film titled Shazaam, starring the comedian, Sinbad, as a genie in the 1990s– there is no trace of the movie anywhere. If you happen to be among those who have vivid memories of the movie that never was, don’t panic, as there are a few explanations for the collective emergence of these memories. One of the most compelling reasons involves a very similar movie titled, Kazaam, released in 1996. It starred Shaquille O’Neal as a genie who granted the child protagonist wishes, leading to blurred lines in the public’s memory. Sinbad never played a genie on-screen, but he did wear a costume that might resemble that of a genie’s while hosting a Sinbad the Sailor TV marathon in 1994. Confusion surrounding these similar but separate events is thought to be the primary reason behind the shared false memory of Shazaam. Distorted and/or fabricated memories like these can be scientifically referred to as confabulations. Sinbad himself has dispelled the rumors that Shazaam ever existed, but later participated in a skit for an April Fool’s joke produced by College Humor poking fun at the possibility. In the skit, Sinbad plays a genie alongside two children who find his lamp among their late mother’s belongings.

The "Shazaam" Mandela Effect

The Mandela effect is a phenomenon that causes false memories. The Mandela effect is a theory proposed by paranormal researcher, Fiona Broome, in 2009. The theory seeks to explain false memories, which can lead large groups of people to misremember details or even entire events, and ultimately end up believing false realities. This idea was born when Broome realized she had clear memories of Nelson Mandela dying in prison in the 1990s, along with corresponding details like his widow’s speech and the riots that ensued. In reality, Nelson Mandela was released from prison, went on to be the first president of South Africa in the 1990s, and died in 2013. After doing some more digging, Broome was shocked to learn that lots of other people had similar memories of Mandela dying in prison. Thus, she named this phenomenon the Mandela effect as a means to define a collective instance of false memory. There are many incidents of the Mandela effect, including but not limited to whether the Monopoly Man wears a monocle or not, and if the Fruit of the Loom logo featured a cornucopia. The Monopoly man does not wear a monocle, although many people remember him wearing one; the Fruit of the Loom does not contain a cornucopia, shocking the masses.

Explanations range from psychological to scientific. Some experts believe that certain images may be misremembered if the fabricated details meet the preconceived expectations of the image– even if they’re wrong. For example, it would make sense for the Monopoly Man to wear a monocle since that would fit the status and style of his character. Yet, he doesn’t, leading to this case of false memory and cognitive dissonance. Scientists can’t offer a general explanation for the Mandela effect, suggesting the phenomenon may only be explained on a case-by-case basis, with each image triggering new patterns. Confabulation, or filling in the gaps with false memories, along with other psychological factors, like suggestibility, may contribute to the Mandela effect.

Alternate Explanations

Parallel realities Although not exactly supported by science, some people believe parallel realities or alternate universes are behind the Mandela effect– including Broome. String theorists suggests that the universe is made up of strings, even smaller particles than atoms, and these particles vibrate in an additional 6 dimensions we can’t see. This leads to the belief that there could be timelines where these strings are vibrating, and the cross-pollination between timelines and realities is what’s behind these collective episodes of false memory. String theory may be testable at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The theory can be tested by measuring the energy of the particles present, forcing them into collision, and then measuring if any energy has been lost. Energy can’t be lost or destroyed, according to the Law of Conservation of Energy, meaning that the particles have transferred to another, possibly parallel dimension. The idea of multiple realities can be used to explain the Mandela effect, as information may be seeping in across dimensions and infiltrating diverging realities.

Personal biases Personal biases are conscious and/or subconscious feelings toward certain stimuli that can really shape memory and other cognitive functions. When attached to specific events, high levels of emotion can result in misremembering details even when one seems totally sure of them. One good example of this is Nelson Mandela himself. The public’s perception of him was that he was a big-hearted activist and leader, willing to suffer in the name of justice. This may be why so many people misremember him dying in prison, as they had likely attached these notions of martyrdom to Mandela. If a large group of people experience an intense emotional reaction to a person, event, or thing, these feelings can be shared and reinforced among them, leading to a collective false memory.

The influence of the internet Considering that the Mandela effect is a phenomenon of the modern world, corresponding with the rise of technology, the internet may be playing a hand in distorting our memories. With the spread of information comes the spread of misinformation, resulting in entire communities built on flimsy, fictional foundations. A study released by MIT in 2017 sought to reveal unknown truths about the digital age, like how quickly misinformation could spread. The study consisted of several participants who were tasked with purposely posting misinformation on Twitter over the course of 9 years. At the end of the study in 2017, researchers concluded that misinformation was 70% more likely to be retweeted and spread versus true information. False rumors tended to come back a few times, while true rumors did not.

Other Famous Examples of the Mandela Effect

There are plenty of cases of the Mandela effect. If you feel pretty certain of a pop culture event that happened but have no concrete proof– chances are, you’re not alone. New reports of the Mandela effect are constantly popping up, and there’s even an entire Reddit thread where one can plead their Mandela effect case. Here are some of the most well-known instances of the Mandela effect. “Berenstein Bears.” Most people think that the spelling of this popular children’s book is “Berenstein Bears” with an “E,” when it’s really “Berenstain Bears” with an “A.” “Luke, I am your father.” This could be mind-blowing to some, but Darth Vader never actually said this. What he really said was, “No, I am your father,” in response to a question. “Mirror, mirror on the wall.” This famous fairytale quote is not actually what the evil stepmother says as she admires herself. Instead, she says, “Magic mirror on the wall.” “Meet the Flinstones!” You’ve probably heard of Barney and Wilma, but you may not know that you’ve been writing their names wrong all along. It’s “Flintstones”– not “Flinstones!”