It’s been a long road since 1985.
Thirty-five years ago this week, the third and final film in the Back to the Future trilogy officially wrapped, later hitting screens in 1990. And later this year, in August, the very first film – the one that introduced us to Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and the time-traveling DeLorean – will celebrate its 40th anniversary.
Despite the decades that have passed, some fans have never stopped hoping for a return to Hill Valley. And while no new film has materialised, there have been flickers of potential along the way.
Robert Zemeckis, the legendary director and co-creator of the trilogy, has famously resisted the idea of a reboot or sequel, stating multiple times that the original story is complete. But on the Happy Sad Confused podcast last year, he dropped a surprising hint: he’s open to adapting Back to the Future: The Musical for the big screen.
“I would like to do Back to the Future: The Musical… just like Mel Brooks did with The Producers. I would love to do that. I think it would be great,” he said.
Even Michael J. Fox, the beloved star who brought Marty McFly to life, has weighed in on the idea of a reboot – and he’s not entirely against it, especially if it means reimagining the role.
“I actually had this thought that if they did the movie again, they should do it with a girl as Marty,” Fox told Entertainment Tonight. “There’s something about Back to the Future that just connects with people on every level. I just feel like it will come around again.”
The idea of a female Marty has sparked plenty of speculation online, with Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown frequently topping fan-casting wish lists. She’s become a fan favourite to hop on the hoverboard and take the McFly name into the future.
Still, Fox himself remains skeptical about the need for a revival.
“I don’t think it needs rebooting,” he told Variety. “Are you going to clarify something? You’re going to find a better way to tell the story? I doubt it… I would love to do a sequel, but I think Bob Zemeckis and Spielberg felt that they told the story in three episodes. But if somebody has a brilliant idea that would justify a fourth film, it might happen.”
But for now, the DeLorean remains parked.
