Filmstalker: Back to the Future 4 sequel?

The idea of a fourth Back to the Future film seems a distinct possibility right now, particularly in this Hollywood culture of remaking absolutely everything and bringing another sequel to franchises which have been long completed, however you would think that there could never be another Back to the Future film.

Bob Gale, writer and producer on the series and some of the spin offs, has been talking about the idea and has said it's a categoric no. Well, with the old stars returning anyway.

Bob Gale was speaking at the Exotic Car Festival and was quoted through BTTF.com and Moviehole and responded the the question of a sequel with a hard and firm no - that brought some negative response from the crowd and so he explained himself:

"We've all seen sometimes where they make one too many sequels and you say, 'Maybe they shouldn't have done that.' I'm not going to name any names of movies, but you know what they are!...But more importantly, as I'm sure you all know, Michael J. Fox is not in the best of shape with his Parkinson's...The idea of making another Back to the Future movie without Michael J. Fox — you know, that's like saying 'I'm going to cook you a steak dinner and I'm going to hold the beef.' You can't do that."

Wow look at that, someone in Hollywood who with his finger on the pulse and some integrity! He does go onto say that he's sure Universal would love them to do another film, but that they just couldn't make another one that would live up to the first three, even if you think the second isn't as strong, it still wouldn't match the previous without Michael J. Fox.

That said, I have to agree with Clint who predicts that within five years there'll be another film in the series. I have to say I think he's got his dates wrong, I think it'll be much sooner before we're seeing the project starting, after all they're remaking everything else that's made money.

Can you really see a new Back to the Future film working without Marty played by Fox? Of course they could get the other characters back, but with the time travelling bit how could they avoid not showing Marty in the film, and would that mean they would have to recast the character?

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I really really hope this never happens.

Not ony would it simply not be as good as the originals trying to recreate the magic without Michael J.Fox would be impossible.

The chemistry between Marty and Doc Brown would be lost and that for me was what the whole series was based on.

Unless its a Back to the Future reboot involving Doc Browns kids in his amazing time travelling steam train. Oh god what have I done. If there are any hollywood execs reading ignore that last bit!!!

Posted by: scotty | May 27, 2008 9:05 AM

There is no way it's going to work without Michael J. Fox.

Posted by: Simone | May 27, 2008 9:18 AM

i dont' think anyone will take a remake seriously, considering how well realized the original is.

still, i hear they're remaking the wizard of oz. if this could happen, anything could, no matter how bone headed.

Posted by: mogulus | May 27, 2008 12:30 PM

Having a BTTF movie without Fox and Lloyd makes as much sense as a Kirk and Spock era Star Trek Movie without Shatner and Nimoy. A dumb idea.

(Alas Hollywood has a liking for dumb ideas.)

Posted by: Morbius | May 27, 2008 5:50 PM

Mogulus/Morbius both very good examples. Makes you think that they really will have a crack at it.

Perhaps not a remake of the original, but I could see a sequel/"reimagination" being attempted with new characters perhaps.

Posted by: Richard Brunton | May 27, 2008 6:43 PM

Lets face it, as terrible as it sounds, probably every one of us would go & check it out .. & they know it.

What they do, i know not, but they'll do something.

Posted by: _ram-jaane' | May 28, 2008 11:33 AM

Perhaps the SynThespians are waiting in the wings ?
It's got to happen sometime.

Posted by: LardAss | May 28, 2008 1:24 PM

I don't know Ram, I probably would be tempted to see it either way and then decide that I would hate it very much which seems to be the trend nowadays!

Posted by: Simone | May 28, 2008 2:13 PM

what if part IV di begin where part III did leave off, then we cut to 2015. Doc runs a secret lab with his family and a couple of scirntist. Marty and jennifer, give them a hand on occasions. Old Biff spots a replica of the almanac, that was given to him in 1955 and heads off to the secret lab. Marty junior and marlene sneak off to the lab too, as they get suspicious of their mom and Dad's work. We see a brief appearance by mjf, in a radiation suit and goes into a machine, which changes his appearance, as an experiment. when marty steps out, he's accidently changed into a woman, though he's still got his own voice. The machine breaks down, and Marty is stuck as marteen for a while, at least into parts V and VI. He could turn into Claudia wells. marteen and jennifer (Shue) share a tender moment and Lorraine get's the wrong idea. Anyway, Biff jumps through a time Vortex, to Oct 26th 1985 and Marty Junior and Marlene chase him there in a new delorean. Whilst there, a few mishaps, delay their attempts to retrieve the almanac. They get kidnapped by the Libyan Terrorists, that Doc ripped off in Part I. They escape and retrieve the almanac, and young biff crashes his work van into yet another manure truck. It must be a hobbie of his. Olld Biff retreats back to 2015, leaving Marty Junior and Marlene stranded in 1985. They meet up with an alternate Doc, who was from the alternate 1985A in a mental institution in Part II. He explains how he got to this reality. Celeste and sabrina are his accomlisses, and are witches, who can time teavel invisibly. Shia Labeouf can be marty junior and Michelle gellar can be sabrina, who he falls for. Steenburgen can also play celeste, a distant relative to Clara. who could be Marlene? This could continue in to Part's V and VI. We could go to 1962, where Doc finds out who set fire to his mansion. Then to the dinosaur age, then back to 1955 again, where, Junior, Marlene, Doc, marty(Marteen), Jennifer and the rest of the gang end up at the enchantment under the sea dance, but on a mission. Doc also discovers, how he got the vision of the fluxcipacitor. Someone gave it to him. That's my idea for the new trilogy.

Posted by: jamie | July 14, 2008 3:10 PM