Back to the Future is still untouchable in a world where sequels, prequels, and the value of the franchised intellectual property are the norm. Since the release of Back to the Future Part III in 1990, no further films have been made in the franchise.
In order to answer the question of why there won’t be a Back to the Future 4, we questioned Back to the Future trilogy co-writer Bob Gale on The Collider Podcast.
Is It Good Back To The Future 4 Never Happened?
It’s fortunate that Back to the Future 4 never materialized, despite all the speculation throughout the years. Robert Zemeckis (director/co-writer) and Bob Gale (co-producer/co-writer) control the franchise’s future. During their lifetimes, no further installments or reboots of the series may be developed without their agreement, as stipulated in their contracts.
They have made it apparent that the story is over in the 30 years following the release of Back to the Future: Part 3.
Back to the Future frequently appears towards the top of rankings of the greatest films of all time. This incredibly inventive adventure captures the Amblin spirit of the 1980s and is based on the deceptively simple premise of “what if you could travel back in time to meet your parents when they were your age?”
The filmmakers didn’t intend for the film’s cliffhanger to lead to a sequel, but the movie was so successful that they decided to make a trilogy out of it. Although they didn’t match the success of the original film, both Back to the Future 2 and Back to the Future 3 were shot simultaneously and were commercial successes.
Over time, fans have developed a deeper appreciation for the series, and many are still holding out for Back to the Future 4.
While fans may be clamoring for a fourth film, Zemeckis and Gale is right to say that making one would be a bad idea. There is a beginning, middle, and end to the Back to the Future trilogy as a whole. Back to the Future Part 3’s conclusion is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, allowing Doc Brown to start a new life with Clara and opening up endless opportunities for Marty.
When saying goodbye to Marty, Doc tells him that his future is up to him. Make it a memorable one. In spite of how well-made the sequel might be, it would ruin the series’ gratifying conclusion. There’s no reason to keep their storylines going in Back to the Future 4, and it would be wiser to end on the note that everyone “lived happily ever after.”
Filmed only a few years after the original, Back to the Future sequels stay true to the feel and style of the original.
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When taken as a trilogy, the three films feel like they’re working toward the same goal, but Back to the Future 4 would be jarringly out of place. It’s been too long. Legacy sequels in the science fiction genre (like Blade Runner 2049 or Ghostbusters: Afterlife) can be successful, but only if they significantly alter the original story by introducing new protagonists and setting the story in a different universe.
However, the film’s appeal is rooted in the chemistry between Marty and Doc, as much as in Hill Valley itself. More of the same would feel redundant and underwhelming after all these years of fan expectation, but focusing on other characters or expanding the setting just wouldn’t feel like a Back to the Future sequel.
Fans can still enjoy the time-travel series beyond the three films, even though Zemeckis and Gale have made sure there will never be a Back to the Future 4 or reboot in their lifetimes. There was a 90s animated series, books, comics, and even a musical staged on London’s West End based on the movie.
Back to the Future: The Game (which continued the tale six months later) in 2010 and Christopher Lloyd’s reappearance in Doc Brown Saves the World (a short film) in 2015 may be the closest fans will get to a Part 4. Meanwhile, Rick and Morty have picked up the mantle of Doc Brown and Marty McFly to pursue their own modern-day time travel antics.
Is Back To The Future 4 Real?
So far as we can tell, BTTF co-writer Bob Gale has ruled out a fourth picture, making Back to the Future one of the few large properties to not have a plethora of sequels.
Bob Gale, in an interview with Collider from last year, stated that the producers had no interest in making a BTTF 4 that was nothing more than a cash grab and that the stories portrayed in the first three films were sufficient. Gale adds that fans likely wouldn’t support Michael J. Fox’s comeback to the role at age 60 while suffering from Parkinson’s illness.
The Back to the Future trilogy is complete and excellent as it is; there is no need for a fourth film, as Bob Gale eloquently demonstrates.
