Back to the Future Cast Reunites to Find Lost Guitar
For four decades, a crucial piece of cinematic history has been missing. It's the iconic cherry red Gibson ES-345 that Marty McFly shredded during the legendary Enchantment Under the Sea dance scene in Back to the Future—an electrifying moment that sparked a generation of guitarists and cemented the instrument's place in pop culture. Now, as Back to the Future celebrates its 40th anniversary, the film's beloved cast has reunited for a real-life quest, partnering with guitar company Gibson to launch a global search for the missing guitar—an adventure so compelling, it's being chronicled in a new documentary, Lost to the Future.
While Back to the Future has always played with time travel, one mystery has remained stubbornly stuck in the past: what happened to Marty McFly's iconic Gibson guitar? Now, with the spotlight on the franchise's 40th anniversary, the search has taken on new urgency, and familiar faces are stepping in to help.
In a newly released video, stars Michael J. Fox (Marty McFly), Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett 'Doc' Brown), Lea Thompson (Lorraine Baines), Harry Waters Jr. (Marvin Berry), and Huey Lewis (Battle of the Bands judge) lend their voices to the cause, rallying fans around the world to aid in the hunt. With the help of Gibson and its global community of musicians and collectors, the initiative aims to do what even a DeLorean couldn't: locate a long-lost relic of cinematic and musical history.
'Years ago, I was astonished to learn this beloved cinematic artifact had apparently disappeared into the space-time continuum,' said Bob Gale, co-creator of Back to the Future. 'Since we don't have a functioning time machine, this effort is probably our best chance to solve a decades-long mystery.'
Mark Agnesi, Gibson's Director of Brand Experience, has been on this trail for years, long before it became a public campaign. 'After 16 years of searching, I'm so excited to get the entire guitar community together to help find the guitar that made me and so many other guitarists of my generation want to learn to play,' he said.
Tips and potential sightings of the missing Gibson can be submitted via LostToTheFuture.com or by texting 1-855-345-1955.
Adding a cinematic layer to the growing campaign, Gibson Films is set to release Lost to the Future—a documentary that digs into the emotional, cultural, and historical impact of a missing movie prop that has become a legend of its own. Directed by Doc Crotzer and narrated by Gibson's Mark Agnesi, the film offers an insider's look into the enduring connection between music and film through the voices of Back to the Future cast members Fox, Thompson, Lloyd, Waters Jr., and Lewis, along with franchise co-creator Gale.
Rather than rehashing the well-known on-screen moment, the documentary shifts focus to behind-the-scenes stories, rare archival footage, and the underappreciated craftsmanship of vintage guitars. It follows the trail through dusty film prop warehouses, high-end guitar shops, and exclusive auction houses—all in pursuit of clues. For Crotzer, the project holds personal weight: 'This is the movie that made me want to be a filmmaker, and the scene that made me pick up a guitar for the first time,' he shared.
More than a treasure hunt, Lost to the Future captures a shared longing for answers, for nostalgia, and for the chance to reconnect with a piece of history that helped shape generations of fans and musicians alike.
For the uninitiated, Back to the Future is a classic sci-fi adventure film released in 1985 that follows the story of teenager Marty McFly, played by Fox. After being accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by eccentric scientist Doc Brown (Lloyd), Marty must navigate 1955 without altering the course of history, especially when he unintentionally interferes with his parents' first meeting. With time running out, he must ensure they fall in love and find a way back to the future, all while avoiding timeline disasters. The film blends comedy, action, and heart, and has become a beloved cultural icon, spawning two sequels and generations of fans.
Sources: CNN, Gibson Gazette
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