When people think back to the 90s, they often remember blockbuster hits like The Lion King, Forrest Gump, and Pulp Fiction.
But hidden among these cinematic giants is a peculiar memory that refuses to fade, a movie called Shazaam starring comedian Sinbad as a bumbling genie.
Millions swear they have vivid memories of seeing it in theatres, owning VHS copies, and even recalling specific scenes. Yet, despite the certainty of so many, there is one jaw dropping truth: the movie never existed.
Sinbad, whose real name is David Adkins, became a household name through his stand up comedy, family friendly sitcoms, and appearances in films like Jingle All the Way and Good Burger. But despite his impressive career, the widely remembered role of a wisecracking genie was never among his credits.
This strange collective false memory is a textbook case of the Mandela Effect, a phenomenon where large groups of people misremember the same event.
The term was coined after many incorrectly remembered Nelson Mandela dying in prison in the 1980s, even though he lived until 2013.
The Shazaam myth has persisted for decades, and social media has only fuelled the fire. One Redditor even shared an elaborate recollection:
“The lamp is rubbed for the first time by two kids, an early teen boy and his little sister, while their single dad is out running an errand. The boy rubs the lamp and ‘Sinbad’ appears in full genie attire…”
Fans claim they remember the poster too, Sinbad wearing a golden turban, puffy pants, and a mischievous grin, set against a purple and gold background. Yet no such movie poster, footage, or VHS tape has ever surfaced.
So, why are so many people absolutely convinced Shazaam existed?
Some experts believe the confusion stems from a blend of memories. People could be merging Sinbad’s name with the famous fictional sailor Sinbad, who had genie related adventures.
Others may have mixed up the real 1996 movie Kazaam, where NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal played a genie, with Sinbad’s comedic persona.
Adding to the chaos, Sinbad once hosted a TV marathon of old Sinbad the Sailor movies, potentially planting seeds of confusion.
Fake box covers, photoshopped images, and even a satirical skit by College Humor in 2017 where Sinbad himself dressed as a genie for an April Fool’s prank fanned the flames even more.
Sinbad addressed the theory himself in 2016, tweeting:
“Have you noticed no one my age has seen this so called Sinbad Genie movie, only you people who were kids in the 90s? The young mind!”
Despite his clear denials, some fans refuse to let it go.
“I saw this movie in theaters in 1994 as part of a double feature with The Lion King”
one user posted on Reddit. Others suggest a grand conspiracy, claiming that the movie was intentionally “scrubbed” from existence because it flopped so badly.
There are even wilder theories suggesting that Shazaam was erased by time travelers or that it existed in a parallel universe. Paranormal researcher Fiona Broome, who coined the term Mandela Effect, has leaned into the idea of “alternate realities” rather than simple misremembering.
In a tongue in cheek “confession,” Sinbad once joked:
“I’m not proud of it, but I did Shazaam. I was doing a lot of crack, staying in crack houses and I did Shazaam for crack money.”
Of course, this was pure satire, poking fun at the wild theories circulating online.
Meanwhile, the fake College Humor “lost footage” clip still circulates today, tricking new audiences and keeping the myth alive. The skit, deliberately low budget and damaged like a worn VHS tape, is often cited as “proof” before being quickly debunked.
Even after years of debunking efforts, debates rage across TikTok, Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), Quora, and Facebook.
One user summed it up perfectly:
“The Sinbad Shazam fights are always insane. It’s the Mandela Effect that has the strongest grip on people.”
In the end, no evidence of a Sinbad led genie movie called Shazaam has ever been found, no scripts, no trailers, no VHS tapes. Yet for many Millennials, it remains as real as any other childhood memory.
And perhaps that is the most fascinating part. Not everything we remember is real, but the feelings those memories bring can be powerful enough to rewrite history in our minds.
Featured Image Credit: (Dropout via YouTube)(Buena Vista Pictures)(Nykieria Chaney/Getty Images)
