Back to the Future 4 will ‘never' happen, writer Bob Gale insists

Perth Now

29-04-2025

Screenwriter Bob Gale has once again insisted a fourth 'Back to the Future' movie will 'never' happen.
The 73-year-old scribe - who created the beloved sci-fi trilogy with director Robert Zemeckis, 72 - has long stressed the 'Back to the Future' series is over, and has now emphasised that neither a prequel nor sequel will ever go ahead.
Speaking at Universal Fan Fest Nights about a possible fourth film, Gale said: 'I don't know why they keep talking about that! I mean, do they think that if they say it enough times, we're going to actually do it?
'I mean, it's like they know in every interview people say, 'Oh Bob, when is there going to be a 'Back to the Future 4'?' Never. '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.''
Gale added it would involve some serious convincing from studio higher-ups for him and Zemeckis to budge on a fourth 'Back to the Future' movie, though was thankful that Steven Spielberg 'totally respects' their decision to leave the franchise be.
The writer joked: 'If the juggernaut of corporate America or corporate international mishigas says, 'If you don't agree to this, we're going to kill your children', alright, well, no, we don't want our children killed.
'But Steven Spielberg, of course, he's got to sign off on it, too. And Steven, just like Steven won't allow another 'E.T.', he totally respects the fact that we don't want any more 'Back to the Future'.
'He gets it and always stood behind that. And thank you, Steven.'
While 'Back to the Future's time on the screen may have come to an end, Gale added the franchise was still alive and well on the theatre stage with the musical adaptation of the first film.
He said: 'We've made 'Back to the Future: The Musical,' which is still playing in London, it's on a U.S. tour.
'We just opened it in Tokyo in Japanese, and they're just as crazy, or crazier, over there about that whole 'Back to the Future' as anywhere else.
'So, I mean, I'm humbled and blown away by the fact that Bob and I came up with something that has this much staying power.'
Looking back at the franchise as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, Gale said he was proud to have created such a beloved film series that remains popular to this day.
He reflected: 'What's so great is seeing the next generation of kids that are being touched by this and [say], 'Gee, my parents were once kids.'
'That's why I think it keeps on going, because every kid comes to that realization at some point, and we made a movie about that. So I love the fact that people are newly discovering it.'
'Back to the Future' - which starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson - follows Marty McFly who accidentally travels back to 1955 in a time machine built by eccentric scientist Dr. 'Doc' Emmett Brown, and must ensure his parents fall in love to avoid erasing his own existence.
The 1985 movie was followed by 'Back to the Future: Part II' in 1989, with the trilogy concluding a year later with 'Back to the Future: Part III'.