Yahoo Lifestyle “Back to the Future” Co-Writer Says 'F--- You' to Fans Who Want a Fourth Movie
Screenwriter Bob Gale made the lighthearted joke at the recent Saturn Awards alongside 'Back to the Future' stars Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson
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Bob Gale in February 2005 and Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox in 'Back to the Future' in 1985There seems to be no future for Back to the Future.
As if fans of the beloved 1985 film needed more confirmation after director Robert Zemeckis shut down the possibility of a fourth installment in the franchise last year, co-writer Bob Gale recently made his own feelings abundantly clear.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Feb. 2, at the 52nd annual Saturn Awards in Los Angeles, where he, Christopher Lloyd and Lea Thompson accepted the George Pal Memorial Award, Gale, 73, addressed fan desire for another ride in the DeLorean.
“People always say, ‘When are you guys going to do Back to the Future 4?’ And we say, ‘F--- you!’ ” a smiling Gale said, eliciting laughs from Lloyd, Thompson and the reporters gathered in the room.
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Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson and Bob Gale at the 2025 Saturn Awards“You can quote me on that,” Gale joked.
“No, we made three terrific movies and people kept asking for more Back to the Future,” he continued. “So we made Back to the Future: The Musical, which Chris and Lea have attended on several occasions.”
Gale added that the Tony-nominated musical, which ended its Broadway run last month, has taken on a life of its own, with a North American touring production still going strong and productions opening in Japan, Germany and Australia later this year
“So, my God, Back to the Future, I'm going to be doing it for the rest of my life,” he said. “I love it. Who could ask for anything more, right?”
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Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in 'Back to the Future Part II' in 1989Thompson, meanwhile, sounded a less harsh note when asked about the enduring enthusiasm for the franchise, in which she played both Lorraine McFly and the character’s ancestor Maggie McFly.
“Chris and I have the honor of meeting so many fans in so many places in the world and all over the country, and it's just remarkable when we do a talk-back and half the people weren't even born when the movie was made, maybe three-quarters now,” Thompson said. “And it's such an incredible honor, really. It's just something we didn't think was going to happen for us. It's been wonderful.”
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Bob Gale with the cast of 'Back to the Future: The Musical' in January 2024Last October, during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Back to the Future director Zemeckis, 72, told host Josh Horowitz that while Universal Studios is open to another sequel, he doesn’t see one happening.
“You know, we have to say, ‘There are different things that might work,’ ” the Here filmmaker said. “But to remake the movie or to suggest that there’s a Back to the Future 4, it just isn’t in the cards.”
Like Gale, Zemeckis seemed more interested in the musical adaptation.
“I would like to do the Back to the Future: The Musical [movie]. I would love to do that,” he said. “I think that would be great. I floated that out to the folks at Universal. They don’t get it. So, [there’s] nothing I can do.”
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