The period in which Metropolis is set has been interpreted in various ways. In the preface to the 1925 novel, Thea von Harbou states that the story takes place "at no particular place or time, neither in the present nor in the future."[27] The 1963 American edition published by Ace Books,[28] with a foreword by Forrest J Ackerman,[29] placed the action in "The World of 2026 A.D.",[28] roughly a century after the film was made. This date was subsequently repeated in later sources on the film.[30] Giorgio Moroder's 1984 re-scored version likewise included a title card giving the year as 2026.[31] Film historians Lotte Eisner and Paul M. Jensen instead placed the events around the year 2000.[32][33] However, the film itself does not specify any year.[30]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_(1927_film)