When Brian De Palma’s Snake Eyes premiered in 1998, most critics saw it as a flashy Nicolas Cage thriller about corruption, conspiracy, and spectacle. But in 2025, the film suddenly returned to headlines. Why? Because online users began pointing out a string of eerie coincidences between the movie’s assassination plot and the recent shooting of political commentator Charlie Kirk.
While the film is entirely fictional, the overlaps in names, dates, and details have sparked fascination — and confusion. Here’s a breakdown of what the movie shows, what people online are saying, and why these coincidences caught fire.
Charles Kirkland vs. Charlie Kirk
In Snake Eyes, the central conspiracy kicks off when the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Charles Kirkland, is assassinated during a boxing match in Atlantic City. The assassin’s bullet fatally strikes him in the neck, setting off Nicolas Cage’s night-long investigation.
That character name — Charles Kirkland — is strikingly close to Charlie Kirk, a modern political figure. It’s not hard to see why audiences have drawn connections between the two, especially with the film resurfacing in the wake of real-world tragedy.
The Date: September 10th
Online discussion has highlighted the fact that the film’s climactic fight is staged on September 10th, the very same date as the recent attack on Kirk.
However, this detail is contested. Some script breakdowns and movie recaps indicate the timeline of the fight differently, and the film itself does not display a prominent on-screen timestamp confirming “September 10.” Still, the claim spread widely on social media, adding fuel to the viral comparisons. When looking at a screenshot of the billboard it appears it may say “September 19th”.
The Neck Wound Parallel
One of the most uncanny overlaps comes from the visual details of the assassination. In the movie, Charles Kirkland appears to be shot in the neck, collapsing in his ringside seat. Social posts quickly seized on that imagery, comparing it to reports that Kirk had been wounded in the neck during the real-life attack.
This isn’t the first time a movie assassination scene has been read symbolically after the fact, but it’s rare to see such specific overlaps in both character name and wound location.
The Tyler Connection
The movie doesn’t stop with Kirkland. The boxer featured in the ring is named Lincoln Tyler. Commentators online pointed out that the real-world shooting suspect also shares the first name Tyler, making the parallels feel even stranger.
Location and Casino Politics
Adding to the intrigue, Snake Eyes was partly filmed in Atlantic City at the Trump Taj Mahal casino, with characters modeled on real-life casino magnates. This layer of political and business influence makes the story feel even more tied to modern political discourse, especially since Charlie Kirk himself has longstanding ties to the world of political fundraising and influence.
Spectacle, Corruption, and Political Theater
Stepping back from the coincidences, the themes of Snake Eyes are what make these parallels resonate so strongly. The movie critiques how spectacle distracts from corruption, how glamorous entertainment (a boxing match) becomes a smokescreen for darker truths, and how power is manipulated behind closed doors.
Those ideas map directly onto how critics describe today’s political landscape — where soundbites, viral clips, and theatrical performances often outweigh substance.
Why These Coincidences Went Viral
The viral spread of these Snake Eyes parallels highlights three things:
- Pattern recognition: Humans are wired to spot connections, even when they’re coincidental.
- Social media amplification: Platforms reward shocking overlaps like “Charles Kirkland shot in the neck” and “September 10th fight.”
- Emotional impact: The assassination scene in the film is visceral, and when mirrored against real footage, the overlap feels uncanny.
Still, it’s worth stressing that these are coincidences, not predictions. The movie was made more than two decades ago and tells a story about fictional corruption and conspiracy.
Conclusion
Whether you see them as chilling coincidences or just symbolic echoes, the parallels between Nicolas Cage’s Snake Eyes and the shooting of Charlie Kirk have made the 1998 film newly relevant.
A character named Charles Kirkland, a neck wound assassination, the Tyler connection, and the disputed September 10th date all combine into a viral phenomenon that blurs the line between fiction and reality.
At its heart, Snake Eyes remains a film about spectacle and corruption — a story that feels eerily timeless in today’s political climate.