10 Conspiracy Theories That Inspired Horror Movies
7. Apollo 18
In 1972, NASA's Apollo 17 lunar module landed on the moon. To date, it is the last time astronauts have set foot on the celestial body. Although an Apollo 18 mission was intended, it was scrapped due to budgetary concerns.
At least, that's the official explanation. For decades, there have been rumblings that Apollo 18 DID go to the moon but never returned, causing NASA to abandon further expeditions. The film, Apollo 18, is presented as newly discovered "footage" of the space mission and is interspliced with real NASA footage to make it appear authentic.
While exploring the surface, the astronauts discover the moon rocks are giving off unusual readings. Upon further investigation, they learn these "rocks" are actually aliens.
Weirdly, this concept is based on a separate conspiracy theory. Of the 270 moon rocks that have been collected in the Apollo missions, 180 of them have gone missing. Considering how rare they are and the safety measures NASA have taken to secure them, it's bizarre so many of them have vanished for nearly half a century. As a result, there are some who believe there is a more sinister explanation for the rocks' disappearance.