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Credit: Universal PicturesBack to the Future remains one of the few franchises that has yet to be rebooted. The original 1985 classic turned 40 years old this year, and although it continues to be celebrated in many ways — largely through the crowd-pleasing, award-winning West End and Broadway musical adaptation — it has remained untouched by a modern sequel or remake.
Of course, we already have two sequels — Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III — but there’s probably a greater chance of time travel actually being invented than seeing director/co-writer Robert Zemeckis and co-writer/co-producer Bob Gale ever let Hollywood get its meat hooks on this sacred property and make another BTTF installment.
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Actress Could Play Female Marty McFly in ‘Back to the Future’ Reboot
Back to the Future in Other Media
That’s not to say Back to the Future has never been reimagined in other media. There’s a short-lived cartoon series from the early ’90s, a long-running series of comic books from IDW Publishing (Ghostbusters, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), and even a video game.
“Back to the Future: The Game” is an episodic graphic adventure, which features the likenesses and the voices of Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd (although Marty is only voiced by Fox in the final episode). Many fans view the game as an official fourth entry.
Related: ‘Back to the Future’ Writer Finally Confirms Whether ‘BTTF 4’ Is Happening
Back to the Future Has Returned
Perhaps games are a safer bet when it comes to continuing our favorite franchises. Not only do they tend to be unburdened by canon/continuity, but they rarely require the same actors, and fans tend to be a lot more accepting of recastings when they’re done in other mediums.
Now, Back to the Future has returned to the world of gaming, as Epic Games has pulled back the curtain on the next Fortnite Battle Royale event, “Chapter 7: Pacific Break”, revealing new map locations, gameplay, and some characters from across the entertainment cosmos.
One of those iconic fictional characters is none other than Marty McFly. He only appears briefly in a collage with other characters at the end of the cinematic trailer, but when gamers get to play the beloved time-traveling teen, they’re going to see some serious, er, things:
“Purchase the Battle Pass and seek revenge as The Bride, rep the future as Marty McFly, and unlock Fortnite originals like Miles Cross and Cat Holloway…plus a new version of Dark Voyager!” the official description from Fortnite reads.
Recent Battle Royale events have included characters from the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and The Simpsons. But now, fans can step into Marty McFly’s self-tying sneakers and take the metaverse battle up to 88 miles per hour (yes, there’s even a DeLorean coming).
But Marty isn’t the only fictional hero back in the spotlight. Chief among the lineup is Uma Thurman’s The Bride from the Kill Bill films, in a new story titled “The Lost Chapter: Yuki’s Revenge”, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino himself. Check out the trailer below:
BTTF Should Return, Just Not in Film
“Yuki’s Revenge” certainly gives us food for thought where Back to the Future is concerned. Fans don’t want another film — whether it’s a sequel or a reboot — and who can blame them But, an animated continuation, whether a television series like Netflix’s upcoming Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, or a video game sequel like Fortnite’s Kill Bill chapter, would probably be far better received.
“Chapter 7: Pacific Break” is the thirty-ninth season of Fortnite Battle Royale. It began on November 29 and will end on March 4.
Would you like to see Back to the Future return in a more official capacity? Share your thoughts in the comments down below!