Summary
- Back to the Future 4 news has been floating around for years, sparking mixed feelings among fans about returning to the beloved franchise.
- Co-writer Bob Gale suggests that instead of a sequel or remake, a movie adaptation of the acclaimed stage musical could be a new way to revisit the story.
- While Back to the Future 4 has never been confirmed, director Robert Zemeckis is open to the idea if a compelling concept is pitched, but Michael J. Fox's retirement makes a significant role for Marty unlikely.
Given that Back to the Future is one of the most beloved trilogies of all time, it is not surprising that Back to the Future 4 news continues to pop up every once in a while. The original movie introduced the world to Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) and the time-traveling DeLorean that took him back to 1955 where he and Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) had to save Marty's future. The massive success led to two sequels before the story of Marty McFly and Doc Brown seemingly came to a satisfying end. Of course, nothing in Hollywood is over forever and there have been rumors of Back to the Future 4 news ever since.
There seem to be mixed feelings on Back to the Future 4, with many fans worried about destroying the legacy of a solid and beloved Back to the Future trilogy, yet there are also those who would love to return to this franchise after all of these years. Though there have been rumblings of the franchise coming back in one way or another, they usually don't amount to anything real. However, in an age when revisiting nostalgic movies has become a huge trend in Hollywood, now seems like the time to start taking any Back to the Future 4 news seriously.
Back To The Future 4: Latest News
The latest Back to the Future 4 news comes from the co-writer of the series, Bob Gale. Obviously, Gale has been asked over the years whether there are any Back to the Future 4 updates and he decided to give a blunt response to those looking to return to the franchise. Gale pointed out that the people who ask about Back to the Future 4 are really asking "I want something that makes me feel as good as the original did." However, in regard to the show, Gale points out, "that’s the feeling you’re going to get here when you see this show. There’s no need to go back to that well. You’ve seen too many people go back too many times."
Gale certainly has a point in that there are countless examples in Hollywood of franchises that kept going far past the point where they had anything worthwhile to say. However, whether he meant to or not, Gale provided a strong idea for how to bring Back to the Future back to the big screen in Back to the Future 4. Rather than do a sequel or a remake of the original, there could be a movie adaptation of the acclaimed stage musical which would allow audiences to revisit the story they love in a new way.
Back To The Future 4 Is Not Confirmed
While Back to the Future 4 news has been coming out for years, the movie has never been confirmed. While the idea was not outright dismissed by director Robert Zemeckis, it doesn't sound like it ever came close to approaching reality as yet. Zemeckis revealed (via ScreenCrush) that the real reason the movie didn't happen was because he didn't have an idea for it. He admitted that "If I had an idea that I could have pitched to Bob [Gale] with a straight face, we would have made it." While it doesn't suggest Back to the Future 4 is actively in the works, Zemeckis seems open to the idea at the very least.
Back To The Future 4: Cast
The big question about continuing the franchise is what the Back to the Future 4 cast would look like. Though Eric Stoltz was cast as Marty McFly originally in the first movie, it is hard to picture anyone else in that role other than Michael J. Fox. Though he was a known sitcom actor at the time, Back to the Future propelled Fox to stardom with his iconic, hilarious, and charming performance as the young teen out of time. However, Fox officially retired from acting in 2021 citing his battle with Parkinsons which he was diagnosed with in 1991. Fox also addressed the idea of rebooting Back to the Future (via Variety) feeling the original said all that needed to be said.
Of course, the other key part of the Back to the Future duo is Christopher Lloyd and his equally iconic performance as Doc Brown. At age 84, Lloyd is still acting, recently appearing on The Mandalorian season 3. Like Fox, Lloyd expressed (via Yahoo!) that he didn't think Back to the Future 4 needed to happen as the first three movies told the story that needed to be told. However, he offered that "Maybe if somebody came up with an incredibly unique story for number four."
Other returning cast members from the franchise who would surely return for a Back to the Future 4 cast include the villainous Biff Tannen played by Thomas F. Wilson, Lea Thompson who played Marty's mother Lorraine, Elizabeth Shue who played Marty's girlfriend and future wife Jennifer, and Mary Steenburgen who played Doc Brown's wife Clara in Back to the Future Part III. Though he only appeared in the first movie, it is also possible Crispin Glover could return as Marty's father George McFly.
Back To The Future 4: Story
There have never been any Back to the Future 4 story details shared over the years so the direction the movie could take is purely speculative. Back to the Future Part III ended with what felt like a satisfying conclusion for Mart and Doc Brown as they went their separate ways; Marty returning to the present and Doc making a new family in the past. After all these years, it is possible the two could cross paths again especially since Doc Brown now has a time-traveling train, but Michael J. Fox's retirement makes it unlikely Marty would have a big role in any continuation.
It is likely that a sequel would focus on a new generation of characters, similar to Ghostbusters: Afterlife, with original characters making cameo or supporting appearances. While the idea of some kids coming across the old DeLorean and accidentally taking a time-traveling road trip sounds like a fun idea, it is hard to imagine fans getting behind a Back to the Future sequel that doesn't involve the beloved characters of the original.
Likewise, the idea of a reboot of Back to the Future hasn't been a popular idea with audiences. A deepfake recasting of Back to the Future with Tom Holland and Robert Downey Jr. caused some buzz online years ago, but even Holland himself shot down the idea suggesting no one should touch the original movie. However, with the Back to the Future musical proving there is a fun way to retell that story, it could be a new path for bringing the Back to the Future franchise back for Back to the Future 4. This is actually a growing trend of adapting musical versions of popular movies with Matilda and The Color Purple among the recent examples.
