Back to the Future is one of those rare franchises that refuses to fade into nostalgia. Although the last movie left theaters in 1990, fans still cannot get enough of Marty McFly, Doc Brown, and their time-traveling DeLorean. From animated series and comic books to video games and musicals, the franchise has expanded in ways few other film series have beyond the original trilogy. Now, it looks like we might be getting something new—a fresh Back to the Future video game adaptation.
Bob Gale, the co-writer and co-producer of Back to the Future, recently hinted that a new game might soon be on the horizon. He told Cleveland.com, “We’ve got a shot at a new video game based on Back to the Future.” However, he wasn’t about to come out and spill all the details—also probably due to some very tight-lipped studio executives—as to when we might see this game; if we should expect it in the year 2025, for the film’s 40th anniversary, or at some other time.
This would not be the first time Back to the Future has entered the gaming realm, of course. Fans might recall the Telltale Games release from 2010, which served as a narrative sequel to the original trilogy. Taking place six months after the events of Back to the Future Part III, the game had Marty working to save Doc from a very wrong past. Reprising his role as Doc, Christopher Lloyd lent his voice (and likeness) to the game, while Michael J. Fox also lent his likeness. However, despite the game being very tied to the source material, Gale has since confirmed that the Back to the Future video game exists in an alternate timeline, rather than the main film canon.
The concept of alternate timelines is not new to Back to the Future. The films themselves toy with the notion of divergent realities, so it’s no big leap to imagine an upcoming game might do the same. This method also worked for other franchises—Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009) was initially considered canon until later films took the storyline in a different direction. If the new Back to the Future game follows this route, it could tell a fresh story without upsetting the continuity of the beloved trilogy.
For years, fans have watched and waited. Should the franchise carry on with an all-new film? Michael J. Fox has suggested a female-led reboot, and Christopher Lloyd has expressed interest in returning as Doc. But there’s never been any serious movement toward a fourth film. Even Tom Holland has been fan-cast as the new Marty McFly. But as of now, it seems the best way to revisit Hill Valley is through gaming.
With adaptations of video games ruling Hollywood, it’s refreshing to see the reverse happening, too. If a Back to the Future game ever happens, it’ll offer fans another chance to hop into the DeLorean and mess with the space-time continuum. This is definitely a game we want to see happen.
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Tell us, would you like a new Back to the Future game?
