With cinematic juggernauts such as Terminator, Jurassic Park and Star Wars all returning to the fray for 2015, Hollywood and the moviegoing audience are – for better or worse – basking in 80s nostalgia. Of all the IPs to witness a second coming, though, it appears as though Robert Zemeckis’ beloved classic Back to the Future won’t be one of them, after the acclaimed filmmaker claimed such a reboot would only happen over his dead body.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Zemeckis made it clear than any potential remake – however it is handled – could potentially tarnish a cinematic classic. Currently, both the director and his co-writer Bob Gale hold the rights to the motion picture following a deal with Universal and Amblin Entertainment at the time, meaning that the buck stops at them when it comes to Back to the Future-related films.
Hypothetically, Zemeckis went on to say that he struggles to view the value in revisiting the 1985 blockbuster.
“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. I mean, to me, that’s outrageous. Especially since it’s a good movie. It’s like saying ‘Let’s remake Citizen Kane. Who are we going to get to play Kane?’ What folly, what insanity is that? Why would anyone do that?”
Whether that evokes disappointment or a sense of relief ultimately comes down to personal opinion. Even without the personal attachment that many moviegoers feel to the Back to the Future trilogy, there’s no question that the studios would struggle to cast the roles of Marty McFly and Doc Brown so brilliantly the second time around. Hence why Zemeckis’ time-travelling hit toplined our list of 80s films that Hollywood should leave untouched.
What do you think, though? Indeed, do you think Zemeckis is making a good or bad decision by wrapping Back to the Future in cotton wool? Let us know below.