This is all speculation, and a bit a hopeful dreaming, on my part; but Brad Bird released an image of a box of stuff that apparently inspired his top-secret science fiction epic “1952″. Now, “1952″ is just a codename for the project – it is in no way the title and I think too many people are running with that in their attempt to put forth their theory as to what the movie actually is. So knowing that “1952″ isn’t the actual title can help expand the theory a bit further beyond just events that took place in that year.

I really don’t think the story is about UFOs or any US government activities during that year. The main reason for this is when the project was first revealed, Disney said that it was targeted as a larger franchise with elements outside the movie, such as theme park rides. Now, you don’t exactly make a theme park ride after an X-Files style movie abut UFOs or government spooks. It just doesn’t fit with the cross-media style franchise that Disney is targeting this movie for.

No, I believe that Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof are working on a modern retelling of Buck Rogers with George Clooney as the title character.This comes from the issue of Amazing Stories that’s buried in that box, as that’s the issue with the first appearance of Buck Rogers.

It makes sense. Buck Rogers was introduced in 1952, thus the codename for the project, and it completely fits in with the idea of having a big franchise that can extend to comic books, toys, and theme park attractions. Clooney is also a great fit for Buck Rogers. It’s also the sort of science fiction epic one could see attracting Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof…