There are some films that refuse to be remade, updated, or rebooted (see Citizen Kane and Casablanca). This is mostly because people feel they are too perfect. However, movies have always been the subject of reboots. People love to say that this is a new phenomenon, but it’s been happening for decades.
One of the next films on the reboot list should be the classic time-traveling film franchise Back to the Future. The sci-fi movie, written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, stars Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, a high school student that goes back in time with the help of scientist Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and a 1981 DeLorean. There is a musical version hitting Broadway next year, but that isn’t the same as a new movie.
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Let’s explore why it’s time to return to the world of car-induced time travel, even if it might take a bit of extra work to make it great.
There’s Already A Precedent For Reboots
Universal
Consider A Star is Born. The most recent version starred Lady Gaga and was made in 2018. However, it was a remake of a 1976 movie starring Barbra Streisand. And that was a remake of a 1954 movie starring Judy Garland, which was a remake of the 1937 movie starring Janey Gaynor. Each was hugely popular, and each time people said it shouldn’t be done.
Back to the Future came out in 1985, spawned two sequels, and brought us the duo of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. These two went on three madcap adventures that were essentially the same movie repackaged in three different eras. Therefore, the question is not whether it should be rebooted but actually what a reboot would look like. Writer and director Zemeckis laid the groundwork, so it is time to thank him and take the steps necessary to develop an updated version.
There Are Elements To Keep and Update
Like any reboot, there are certain things we need to keep. This means that the plot should remain similar, the tropes should all be there, and certain characters should stick around. For this movie, there are five things we need to keep: time travel, awkward parents, a bully, Doc Brown, and an interesting time-travel vehicle. As long as these are kept in place, people may accept it.
Let’s talk about the vehicle. The DeLorean was cool mostly because it had gull-wing doors. However, it was a dull metal gray that could have a bunch of futuristic stuff glued to it to make it look interesting. The fact that it is considered the coolest car is only because it was in the movie. But the car itself was a bit of a dud. This is a chance to update it with a similar dud that can be retooled and added to in order to make it look more futuristic.
Let’s try the Tesla Cybertruck. Unlike other, more interesting vehicles, it doesn’t have the best look and is going to sell about twelve units. That means, much like the DeLorean, it will be a strange collector’s item that would make a perfect base for all the fun, superfluous extras that Doc would add. The car will obviously still need a flux capacitor. This was the Y-shaped device that was the key to time travel. Doc Brown thought it up when he bonked his head in 1955.
Something else that needs to change is the timeframe. The original movie began in 1985 and found Marty traveling back to 1955. This needs to be updated because a modern take should be modernized. Therefore, we can place our protagonist in 2023 and have them go back to 1993. That way we get a modern take that lets us stay fun and adventurous.
What A Back to the Future Reboot Should Look Like
Universal Pictures
Here’s what we think a reboot should look like. Teenage African-American twins take their parent’s car for a joyride and get in a minor accident. They are punished by helping an older man their father met who says he’s a scientist. When they get there, the crazy scientist tells them that he needs their help and that they need his. This scientist is Doc Brown.
As they travel back in time to 1993 in a modified Tesla Cybertruck, they inadvertently stop their parents from meeting, are taken in by their grandmother, become friends with their parents in high school, learn about the culture, and get their parents together. In the end, they find the younger Doc Brown who helps them fix the flux capacitor, and sends them home. When they get back, their parents are happy, they’re cooler, and life seems that much better.
The cast should be a mix of established actors anchoring a cast of younger up-and-comers who will carry the film. Examples include Amandla Stenberg (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Kolton Stewart (Disenchanted), Xolo Maridueña (Cobra Kai), and Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat). Of course, there needs to be cameos from Lloyd and Fox and references to the original films.
With a strong cast and decent starting point, a reboot of Back to the Future could be a hit. There will always be the die-hard fans who refuse to accept a reboot, especially with colorblind casting, but a new generation deserves their own version of this fan favorite if the director signs off. Back to the Future could be the next big reboot that not only brings kids to a new movie but gives them a reason to reach for the original.
