The Back to the Future franchise is one of the most beloved of all time, but it should never be rebooted. Since the first film debuted in 1985, it instantly became a phenomenon, spawning two sequels, various video games, and more. In the age of nostalgia, there have been talks of revisiting the films in the form of a reboot or a fourth movie. Unfortunately, rebooting the film would only cheapen its incredible, everlasting legacy instead of keeping it going through newer generations.

Director Robert Zemeckis and writer Bob Gale share the film rights to Back to the Future. Zemeckis has made it clear that there will never be a reboot, stating, "That can’t happen until both Bob and I are dead. And then I’m sure they’ll do it, unless there’s a way our estates can stop it." He also went on to say that it would be outrageous to reboot, since it's a "good movie" as it is. While other side projects such as the Back to the Future: The Animated Series show are not canon, the video game made by Telltale Games in 2010 was the closest to Back to the Future Part IV or a franchise remake audiences could and should ever get.

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Back To The Future's Magic Can't Be Recaptured

Back to the Future's DeLorean Outatime Plate

For any film or franchise, one of the greatest aspects of how it works is the chemistry between the actors and characters - and the chemistry between stars Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd as Marty McFly and Doc Brown is flawless. Not only is it one of the most unique relationships in cinema, but it also spawned parodies like Rick & Morty. The magic of the storytelling can't be recaptured because many movies tackle the time travel genre nowadays; it's become a common trend. As such, it'd be nigh on impossible for a reboot to mirror the reception and unique position of the original Back to the Future trilogy.

The supporting characters in the trilogy really add a lot to the magic as well. Michael J. Fox portrayed multiple version of McFly in the trilogy that are arguably just as loved as Marty, but the main antagonist Biff Tannen and Marty's parents George and Lorraine are crucial characters in the plot. Biff is also one of the most well-known villains in film history, especially during the 1980s. Whether it's 1955 Biff or old Biff from 2015, the character has become a staple in pop culture history along with the rest of the main cast members, and as such would be hard to replicate without rehashing old ground.

Back To The Future Was A Product Of Its Time

Michael J. Fox's Marty McFly in the Back to the Future Trilogy

Part of what made the Back to the Future films so special was the time period it was set in. Marty McFly performed in a band, was considered a "slacker" by his principal, and had an average relationship with his family. A Back to the Future reboot in today's climate would either have to repeat these traits - which would either feel repetitive or see Marty become addicted to his phone to reflect a modern update - or risk creating a character who carried none of the nostalgic ties to the original hero.

Back to the Future's impact due to the era it was set in was seen when 2015 actually came around. Many around the world poked fun at what Back to the Future predictions actually came true and which didn't - in no small part because its imagining of the future was couched in an 80s perspective. With the technological advancements of the current age, however, predictions for the future would be less quaint, as the modern era has AI and other developments that were previously thought to be the stuff of sci-fi legend.

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Additionally, the use of the first Back to the Future movie's visual effects was groundbreaking for its time because it also released post-Star Wars and also managed to have realistic visual sequences. It wouldn't be as groundbreaking in 2022 because the visual effects wouldn't appear to be as fresh or unique, instead only appearing as modernized. With the bar now being set by movies like Avatar, it would be far harder - if not outright impossible - to replicate the original movie's success in this sense.

The Back To The Future Trilogy Doesn't Have A Bad Movie

Marty McFly and Doc in Back to the Future Part 2

Despite Back to the Future's sequels box office numbers not beating the original, they're just as beloved as the first movie. What's especially beloved about Part II and Part III is how they continue the story by traveling to other time periods that inevitably tie back into the original Back to the Future, creating a complex but fascinating timeline of events. Each film features something new with clever callbacks to their predecessors, tying the franchise together. Had a sequel been held in universally poor regard, rebooting the series might hold more potential - but there's little that would benefit from a reboot and thus the potential to change things around.

A Remake Would Only Weaken BTTF's Legacy

Doc and Marty ride across the West in Back to the Future Part III

The Back to the Future trilogy had a clear beginning, middle, and end, and don't need to be remade or extended. With the original time machine being destroyed and Doc now living with his family in the 19th century, it wouldn't make sense to continue the story. This is especially true as the cast wouldn't be available for the movie in the same capacity. Actor Michael J. Fox has slowed down his career since being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, and Christopher Lloyd is now in his mid-80s. While it would make sense to reboot the franchise to cash in on nostalgia, audiences would just end up comparing any reboot to the original.

Most reboots are also typically drastically worse and more unpopular than the original film they are based on, and rebooting Back to the Future would weaken the legacy that has continued on since the trilogy's conclusion in 1990. Legacies are meant to last forever, but it doesn't always mean something needs to be added to it either. Just because great legacy sequels like Cobra Kai work doesn't mean it will for every franchise.

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The Back to the Future trilogy had a perfect ending, and the legacy continues on through the actors, filmmakers, cartoons, video games, and an upcoming Broadway musical. Casting actors for a BTTF trilogy remake only dampens the legacy that Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd helped create with Back to the Future. As such, it's better for both audiences and the franchise if the beloved time travel movies stay a thing of the past.

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