47 Inventions That Sounded Bonkers at First But Turned Out to Be a Huge Success

During the 2004 production of Idiocracy, a future-set film, the quest for unique and unheard-of wardrobe pieces led the costume team to Crocs, then a humble startup with peculiar plastic shoes. These shoes, deemed perfect for the film’s futuristic aesthetic, were a budget-friendly option to capture the stupidity of the characters in the film perfectly.

The film’s creators never anticipated Crocs becoming mainstream; they were chosen precisely because they were obscure and ridiculous-looking—unlikely to be popular by the movie’s release. Yet, by the time Idiocracy premiered, Crocs had exploded in popularity, proving the film’s satirical point about trends quicker than expected.