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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan

Dark Polar Express theory over Tom Hanks' different characters changes everything

The Polar Express has to be up there with one of the best Christmas movies of all time - but a dark theory will completely change how you feel about the festive favourite.

The animated movie, which was released back in 2005, follows a young chap who lives the safety of his bedroom on Christmas Eve and jumps aboard a mysterious train.

On the journey to the North Pole, the boy and some other kids get themselves into all sorts of wonderful and scary scenarios before reaching their destination and meeting Father Christmas.

Using live-action motion-capture to create an unprecedented look on-screen, the timeless classic has an all-star cast full of Hollywood A-listers and rising child stars.

But someone who they definitely got their money's worth out of is legendary actor Tom Hanks, who as well as being one of the executive producers also plays a whopping six different characters.

The Polar Express is a festive favourite - but could there be a darker meaning (Warner Bros. Pictures.)

Hanks lends his vocal talents for the roles of Hero Boy, his father, the Conductor, the Hobo, the Scrooge Puppet and Santa Claus.

This has led some fans to come up with a dark theory that interlinks all of the characters who are voiced by the one man.

One Reddit user has put forward the idea that the Hero Boy, the Conductor and the Hobo, who are all voiced by Hanks, are actually different versions of the same person.

They point out that the budget for the blockbuster movie was a staggering $165million, which was considerably more than that year's average of $123million.

This might not seem relevant, but it leads on to the suggestion that the moviemakers could definitely have afford more voice actors.

Therefore, they claim that it was a deliberate decision to make Hanks be the voice of those three specific characters.

During the film, the boy meets the strange Hobo on the train who calls himself the 'King of the North Pole' and makes fun of Santa - proving to be a sceptic.

Tom Hanks' main character is the Conductor (Warner)

But he does everything in his power to make sure the kid gets to the North Pole, including helping him back on the train and showing him how to fix the breaks.

In the lengthy post, the Reddit user writes: "I think that the Hobo represents the ghost of what would have happened to Hero Boy, had he never gotten on the train. A sceptical, bitter adult who is stuck on the Polar express, trying to meet Santa.

"I think if Hero Boy had never gotten on, he would have become this bitter man and rode atop the train, as he could never receive a ticket. But he dies once he hits flat top tunnel. His ghost now rides the top of the train to the North Pole, and turns to snow when he reaches his death site."

Another important part to the theory is the Conductor, who in this scenario is the opposite version of the boy's future.

They continue: "The Conductor, however, is another important part of my theory. He is determined to make sure that this train reaches the North Pole. The conductor also looks like an adult version of Hero Boy. He is strict, but kind and looks out for Hero Boy.

"I believe the conductor represents Hero Boy as an Adult, after riding the Train. He makes sure Hero Boy believes in Santa by the end of that trip. He even stamps Believe onto Hero Boys Ticket. His voice is exactly the same as Adult Hero boy."

The Polar Express features Santa Claus (© Warner Brothers International)

While it may seem strange, a lot of people have been convinced by the theory and have shared their views online.

"I have a conspiracy theory about the Polar Express: I think the conductor is the one kid that we see getting picked up at the beginning of the movie but from the future," said one Twitter user.

Another added: "My mom and I have created a conspiracy theory about the Polar Express: the conductor is actually the main character when he gets older."

Some have suggested that the Hobo could represent Satan and that God was Santa, while others believe it's actually the other way round.

Another theory is that all of the adult characters are part of the Christmas holiday and are working together to make sure everything goes to plan.

The Hobo could be the Spirit of Christmas, making sure everyone is safe but fading into the background, while the Conductor is Father Time, keeping everyone orderly and in check.

Do you have a story to share? Email webfeatures@trinitymirror.com

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