Back To The Future Producer Promises Film Will Never Be Rebooted

As film production budgets continue rise, studios have turned to established properties with built-in fan bases to serve as their tentpoles. This is why the Star Wars, Harry Potter, Marvel, and DC franchises are still alive and well, as they are more likely to turn a profit than original programming. With that in mind, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that there have been multiple iterations of Spider-Man and Batman in the last 10 years. Reboots (including “soft” ones like Creed and Jurassic World) and remakes have become commonplace in the industry.

Just about everything recognizable has been turned into a movie during the modern age, and some classic genre pictures have been redone with the hopes of introducing the title to a new audience. Many have bemoaned this practice, since the new versions frequently come across as hollow cash grabs that are inferior to the original. By now, it feels like just about every beloved classic has received an update, but some remain untouched. And one – Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future – will remain that way forever.

Speaking with Yahoo! Movies, Frank Marshall (producer of the Back to the Future trilogy) reiterated statements that Zemeckis previously made, telling the outlet that there are no plans to reboot the franchise:

“Yeah, as long as I have my say [it’s safe]. That one exists just like ET – we’re never touching those.”

The key phrase, of course, is “as long as I have my say,” which leaves the door ajar for a new Marty McFly and Doc Brown to grace the big screen when Marshall retires from filmmaking. But while there’s an outside chance Back to the Future eventually gets a redux, it won’t be able to come into fruition many years down the road. Zemeckis and his Back to the Future co-writer Bob Gale have final say in any project related to the franchise, so as long as those two are alive, it’ll never happen. Last year, Zemeckis morbidly theorized that Hollywood would jump on the opportunity when he and Gale have passed away, but their estates could step in and prevent it from happening.

It goes without saying that it would be for the best if Back to the Future was left alone. The whole series (especially the first film) is a timeless classic that still resonates with audiences today, 30 years later. Typically, the best remakes take an interesting premise that was poorly executed and improves upon it. Back to the Future doesn’t meet that criteria, since many viewers feel that it is a perfect movie. Also, Universal may not be so inclined to pursue a remake after Sony’s Ghostbusters reboot was not the massive commercial hit they wanted it to be. Fans can rest easy. The DeLorean had its day in theaters, and now everyone can enjoy it from the comfort of home.