Back to the Future
Back to the Future was rejected by every major studio more than forty times — Disney turned it down on the grounds that the mother's attraction to her own son made it unsuitable — before Universal made it, and it became the highest-grossing film of 1985. Its structure is unusually tight for a comedy: virtually every element introduced in the first act is paid off in the third, and screenwriting courses have used it as a set text ever since.
About Back to the Future
Back to the Future was rejected by every major studio more than forty times — Disney turned it down on the grounds that the mother's attraction to her own son made it unsuitable — before Universal made it, and it became the highest-grossing film of 1985. Its structure is unusually tight for a comedy: virtually every element introduced in the first act is paid off in the third, and screenwriting courses have used it as a set text ever since. Eric Stoltz was cast as the lead and filmed for several weeks before being replaced by Michael J. Fox, who shot the film at night while continuing to work on a television series during the day.
Eric Stoltz was cast and filmed for several weeks before Michael J. Fox replaced him, requiring extensive reshoots.
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Key eras
| Era | Years | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| Original | 1985 | Highest-grossing film of its year after more than forty studio rejections. |
| Sequels | 1989–1990 | Two sequels shot back to back. |
| Afterlife | 1991– | Animation, games and a stage musical. |