Bob Gale, writer of the 1985 science fiction comedy flick Back to the Future, insists that the franchise is over, and that fans need to just enjoy the story as it is.
Despite the recent uptick in nostalgia-fueled reboots of 80s and 90s franchises, there are no plans, nor will there ever be, for a continuation or reprise of the beloved franchise, especially not without Marty McFly.
Gale recently told TMZ that there will ‘NEVER’ be a fourth film, reboot, or spinoff of the series. “I don’t think I can be any more clear,” he said, standing firm on the issue.
Back to the Future is a 1985 comedy sci-fi adventure movie starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher LLoyd that became one of the most successful film franchises in history. The franchise includes Part II, Part III, a short-lived animated series in the early 90s, and more recently, Back to the Future: The Musical.
While the franchise’s director Robert Zemeckis seemed into the idea of turning Back to the Future: The Musical into a film a-la Hamilton, Gale insisted that if people want to see the musical, they can go to the theater to experience it.
Back in 2020, ahead of the musical’s premiere, Bob Gale told BBC News that to make another film would be akin to “selling your kids into prostitution,” adding that Michael J. Fox’s battle with Parkinson’s disease would make it next to impossible to film and that there is no Back to the Future without Marty McFly.
Did Gale and Zemeckis predict the future when it comes to the 2020’s franchise reboot craze? The creative duo had a clause written into their contracts stating that another installment in the franchise would need their explicit permission to go ahead. And so long as Gale stands firm on his stance, there is no way there will be any more Back to the Future without hopping into the DeLorean and erasing that clause.
A 2018 poll by the Hollywood Reporter showed that 71% of 2,200 surveyed wanted a sequel to the franchise. Despite the demand, Gale believes that reboots can sometimes do more harm than good to a property. He told the BBC, “We learn from the fact that so many studios have gone back to the well on some of their franchise properties too many times, and the audiences are disappointed and say, ‘Oh my God, they ruined my childhood.’”
Sorry Back to the Future fans, it’s not gonna happen. Stop asking!
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