The Back to the Future movies are among the best-loved movies of all time, with a terrific ensemble cast - but who could play each role in a 2020 remake? While the trilogy is seemingly remake-proof, that doesn’t stop fans from speculating what a modern-day version of the Back to the Future movies might look like. The first film was a box-office smash, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1985, and launched actor Michael J. Fox to international stardom. Naturally, sequels followed - with Part II (1989) and Part III (1990) achieving even greater financial success than the original.
Back to the Future Part IV was already an unlikely prospect before Michael J Fox's health concerns emerged, with the original trilogy coming to a satisfying conclusion that would be jeopardized by any direct sequels. While the notion of a remake or reboot will send chills up most Back to the Future fans, the premise of the franchise - people traveling through their own family history - is full of storytelling potential that could be explored in any number of ways. Though science fiction is a staple of mainstream cinema, there isn’t really a big-budget, time-travel-focused franchise (though Marvel are beginning to dabble with the idea) - which seems a missed opportunity. While original trilogy co-writer and director Robert Zemeckis has said he will block any attempts at a modern remake or sequel, Universal seems to have other plans - notionally eyeing Spider-Man star Tom Holland for the lead role, though nothing is officially said to be in the works.
At the end of the day, the original Back to the Future movies aren’t going anywhere - so a remake wouldn’t really hurt their legacy, but rather offer audiences a fresh interpretation of the source material, using the basic premise and key characters as a jumping-off point for something new. While Back to the Future was set in the '80s before going back to the '50s, a modern remake would likely push the timeline forward thirty years - with present-day teenager Marty McFly traveling back in time to the 1980s, where he then crosses paths with his own parents and accidentally threatens his own existence. While it would be tempting to cast more established comedy actors in many of the supporting roles, the original trilogy was very youthful - something that a reboot ought to replicate with its own cast. But which actors should fill out the classic ensemble?
Marty McFly
Tom Holland is the obvious choice to fill Fox’s auto jacket as Marty McFly, with Marvel’s Spider-Man films showcasing his youthful energy and comedic talents. Following his stint as Peter Parker in the MCU, it would be fun to see Holland play a cooler, more outwardly confident character like Marty while maintaining a fragile ego beneath the surface. Audiences know that Holland can play a naive fifteen-year-old, but Marty (at seventeen years old) is a slightly different ball game - requiring a more nuanced performance - a challenge that the actor would surely rise to. Holland also plays the guitar: something that Fox had to learn for the first Back to the Future movie and its famous "Johnny B. Goode" sequence.
Holland has already been in talks with Universal concerning Back to the Future, so this is hardly an original casting idea - but his fanbase and skillset make him the ideal candidate to lead a new blockbuster trilogy. Additionally, a great deepfake of Holland as Marty McFly exists online wherein his MCU co-star Robert Downey Jr. replaces Christopher Lloyd as Doc Brown - just in case there was any doubt that Holland could pull it off.
Doc Brown
While the aforementioned deepfake video casts Robert Downey Jr. as scientist Doc Brown, the Iron Man actor is almost too cool for the part. Instead, the role should go to 90s funnyman Jim Carrey - currently experiencing something of a career resurgence following a villainous turn in Sonic the Hedgehog. Christopher Lloyd (Doc in the original trilogy) has been widely praised in the role; delightfully hammy and eccentric, with extreme facial expressions that could rival a Chuck Jones cartoon. Carrey, then - known for his outsized yet emotional performances - is the perfect successor to Lloyd and a great elder statesman for any budding franchise.
While Christopher Lloyd was aged up with makeup and prosthetics for the '80s-set portions of Back to the Future, Jim Carrey would have to be de-aged for a modern remake (ideally using a blend of practical and digital effects). His career began in the 1980s, so there would be a lovely full-circle feeling to the whole thing - with present-day Carrey acting opposite his younger self for a small portion of the film.
Jennifer Parker
Jennifer (Marty’s girlfriend, played by Claudia Wells and Elisabeth Shue) was a victim of testosterone in the original trilogy - underwritten and under-served by men who couldn’t figure out how to weave her into the narrative proper. Ideally, a modern reimagining would expand Jennifer’s role and bring her along on the time-travel adventure too. Envisioned in the classic “girl next door” mold, Jennifer’s personality ought to be defined more in a modern update - with her own insecurities put to the test when meddling with time travel. While she might be the obvious choice, Zendaya would be excellent in the role; building on her chemistry with Tom Holland from the MCU Spider-Man movies, minus the superhero theatrics.
George McFly
Crispin Glover excelled as George McFly (Marty’s put-upon father) in the first Back to the Future film; both awkward and nerdy, yet oddly adorable. Crucially, he was able to transition between 1985 George and 1955 George seamlessly - with strong comedic talents and a flailing physicality. For a modern remake, Asa Butterfield (of Sex Education fame) fits the bill; both impossibly awkward and a gifted physical comedian. While Butterfield is English (and regularly performs with his natural accent), he’s played Americans in the past and has more than a passing resemblance to Tom Holland (also English). So much so, in fact, that Butterfield actually auditioned for Spider-Man as well. Instead, George McFly should be his consolation prize (some might say his “destiny”) and could open yet more doors for the rising star.
Lorraine Baines-McFly
Lea Thompson’s performance as Lorraine (Marty’s mother) in the original trilogy is extremely memorable; with the then-young actor convincing audiences as a chain-smoking, middle-aged alcoholic, before transforming into Marty’s fresh-faced, mischievous foil - unwittingly smitten with her own son back in 1955. For the Back to the Future remake, an actor would do well to replicate Thompson’s lack of vanity in the older role, with solid comedic chops and a willingness to make ugly choices. Counter to that, they ought to embody a devil-may-care attitude in the younger role, playing lust and flirtation with ease. In short, they have to be both captivating and repellent (or, rather, able to channel both energies) - no mean feat, with Thompson an extremely tough act to follow.
As far as a remake is concerned, they’d do well to keep it in the family (a Back to the Future tradition, of sorts) and cast Thompson’s daughter Zoey Deutch in the role. Deutch is a gifted comic actor, known for Everybody Wants Some!! and Zombieland: Double Tap, who is often favorably compared to more-established star Anna Kendrick. From her talkshow appearances alone, Deutch recalls Thompson’s teenage Lorraine, with a vocal elasticity that could serve her very well in the older role.
Biff Tannen
Biff Tannen is Back to the Future’s resident villain; his family versus Marty’s family, spanning all through the ages. Whether it’s 1985, 1955, or the wild, wild west - there’s always a McFly and there’s always a Tannen; two constant rivals, representing the repetitions within human history. The series’ punching-bag, Biff spends a lot of time picking manure out of his teeth but somehow remains menacing in hindsight: a testament to Thomas F. Wilson’s intimidating performance. Based on Donald Trump, Biff has actually become more relevant in recent years - a thuggish meathead with numerous, sniveling followers at his disposal - and a remake would do well to retain these elements. Actor-wise, Dacre Montgomery could follow in Wilson’s footsteps; known for playing '80s bully, Billy, in Netflix’s Stranger Things - with a menacing look in his eyes, and the ability to turn on a dime. If Billy hit his head and subsequently lost a significant number of IQ points he’d likely resemble Biff from Back to the Future.
Principal Strickland
Marty’s surly high school principal, Gerald Strickland, was another constant in his adventures through time; haunting Marty with an accusatory “slacker!” whenever they crossed paths. For the hypothetical remake, Doc Brown actor Christopher Lloyd should appear as Strickland - a lovely nod to the original trilogy, and a role that the veteran character actor could really relish.
Clara Clayton
Debuting in Back to the Future Part III, Clara was Doc Brown’s love interest; the two having met during Doc’s time spent in the Wild West, Clara’s native era. A modern remake should probably avoid utilizing the same historical settings as the original trilogy (for the sake of variety), but - in a franchise that deals with lineage, family, and relationships - it makes sense for Doc to be paired off at some point. Leslie Mann, known for her numerous collaborations with her husband, comedy powerhouse Judd Apatow, would be excellent as Clara; eccentric yet utterly charming, like actor Mary Steenburgen in the original trilogy. What’s more, Carrey and Mann have already worked together in The Cable Guy and I Love You Phillip Morris - displaying good chemistry and shared sensibilities.
While a Back to the Future remake is inadvisable, there are certainly a number of core ideas that could be expanded upon and explored in a new series without treading on the toes (or ruining the memory) of the original trilogy. For 2020, the above casting choices would go a long way towards piquing the interest of many remake-adverse Back to the Future fans; ensuring that this hypothetical project isn't just a cynical cash-grab and, in fact, has something new to offer.