Did "The Simpsons" predict that April 29, 2025 will become "the day everything stops"? No, that's not true: The internet rumor originated from an account that posts "fictional stories". The video never used a direct video citation from the series. Lead Stories analysis of the visual sequence suggested it was created with generative AI.
The claim appeared in a post (archived here) on TikTok where it was published on April 6, 2025, under the caption:
The Day Everything Stops - The Simpsons' Darkest Prediction??😦😦 #TheSimpsons #Prediction #April292025 #Blackout #EndOfCivilization #SimpsonsPredictions #StaySafe #unitedkingdom #BreakingNews #SimpsonsPrediction
The text across the opening frame read:
April 29th, 2025.
This is what the post looked like on TikTok at the time of writing:
(Source: TikTok screenshot by Lead Stories)
The voice-over heard in the 1-minute clip began:
'The Simpsons' predicted: April 29, 2025, the day everything stops. Follow me, if you've ever watched 'The Simpsons'. In a 1998 episode, Springfield experiences a total blackout. Just before it happens, a digital calendar flickers for the last time April 29. Professor Frank shouts, 'The end has come!' Kent Brockman, eerily calm, says, 'See you in the Stone Age!' But that's not all. In 2013, Mr. Burns casually mentions, 'The end of energy is already scheduled!" Pause the scene at the right moment - and the date is clear: April 29, 2025. And in 2007, Lisa holds a book titled 'The Last Day of Civilization'. The date on the cover -- April 29, 2025. A global blackout, total collapse, phones stop working one by one, gas stations can't pump fuel, water systems start failing, emergency alerts can't reach everyone or something even worse. What do you think of this wild prediction? Share your thoughts in the comments.
The claim, however, was self-debunking. The narration ended with a hint suggesting that the story was made up:
Follow for more fictional stories.
The video never used a direct video citation from the series. In contrast, what appeared on the screen was a collection of still images changing one after another.
A closer look at the contents of the clip showed numerous inconsistencies typical of generative AI images. For example, the opening frame demonstrates that the date in question was added to the video later, and what was seen in the top right corner did not read "April 29" -- that inscription was illegible:
(Source: TikTok screenshot by Lead Stories)
Then, when the voice-over mentions the flickering "digital calendar", the video shows a different date, July 17:
(Source: TikTok screenshot by Lead Stories)
Later, when a paper wall calendar appears in the frame, its design is odd: Instead of displaying a month and a year on top of the page, it shows the date. In the boxes, the 6th is followed by the 9th, which is followed by the 12th, while other weeks show the days in the correct order. What is circled in red doesn't include April 29:
(Source: TikTok screenshot by Lead Stories)
Finally, when the character named Lisa is said to read the book about the end of civilization, the still image on the screen shows a nonexistent day in the misspelled month containing the Cyrillic letter "Г" in place of "I" followed by the letter "H":
295 APRГH 2025.
(Source: TikTok screenshot by Lead Stories)
According to Hive Moderation, the likelihood of the video being a product of generative AI is close to 100%:
(Source: Hive Moderation screenshot by Lead Stories)
Read more
"The Simpsons" (archived here) is a long-running satirical animated sitcom about a family living in the fictional American town of Springfield.
Various "predictions" purportedly made in different episodes are a recurring genre of internet rumors. As Lead Stories previously wrote, the sitcom did not forecast California wildfires in 2025, an attempt on Donald Trump's life in July 2024, a solar storm or a new X logo.
Additional Lead Stories fact checks mentioning "The Simpsons" can be found here.
