Back to the Future writer says franchise will 'never' make a comeback
Maybe we aren't going back to the future
In an era of reboots, prequels and legacy sequels, few franchises are as primed and ready for come back as Back to the Future. If anything, it would almost be too easy to bring back the iconic time-travelling adventure series for a new generation of sci-fi heads — it's beloved, and has fittingly stood the test of time.
However, according to one of the trilogy's writers, Bob Gale, it’s not going to happen. When speaking to People, Gale said "‘When is there going to be a prequel?’ Never. ‘When is there going to be a spinoff?’ Never. It's just fine the way it is. It's not perfect, but as Bob Zemeckis used to say, ‘It's perfect enough.’”
This was in response to the recent Cobra Kai finale, which featured an easter egg teasing Back to the Future getting the TV Show treatment from Cobra Kai showrunners Josh Heald and Jon Hurwitz.
When asked by People about the choice to include this little nod to the now dormant franchise, Hurwitz said "We know that the Back to the Future franchise is something that's very closely guarded — and for good reason. If they ever decided they wanted to have a sequel series, then we'd be all-in.”
Hurwitz went on to add, "Everything I've read about them makes it seem like they're looking for somebody to come in and pitch them an idea, so we'll see."
Going by Gale’s comments in response to this, he is not on the same page and seemingly isn't looking for someone to pitch him an idea to reinvigorate the franchise.
Gale continued to expand on the franchise's legacy, speaking about the musical and describing its success as “crazy,” and saying he felt “humbled” to have come up with something with so much staying power.
- If you're on the lookout for some classic sci-fi screenings, BFI is showing a limited, one-time-only screening of the original Star Wars cut in June.