BACK TO THE FUTURE Won't Get a Remake as Long as Director Robert Zemeckis is Alive

For many fans, a remake of the 1985 classic Back to the Future is a worst-case scenario when it comes to Hollywood's fascination with repurposing all of our childhood experiences in shiny new packages. Thankfully, director Robert Zemeckis has gone on the record to let everyone know that even if Universal wanted to put a remake into production right now, they wouldn't legally be allowed to do it.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Zemeckis was asked whether or not he and co-writer Bob Gale (who shares the rights to the film with Zemeckis) would ever consider a remake, he responded:

"Oh, God no. That can’t happen until both Bob and I are dead. And then I’m sure they’ll do it, unless there’s a way our estates can stop it.

I mean, to me, that’s outrageous. Especially since it’s a good movie. It’s like saying ‘Let’s remake Citizen Kane. Who are we going to get to play Kane?’ What folly, what insanity is that? Why would anyone do that?”

Apparently the original contracts the two men signed with Universal give them final say on any Back to the Future-related films as long as they're alive. That seems like incredible foresight for them to have written that into their deals back in the day, but maybe they knew that they had an instant classic on their hands and could predict that this franchise was something special that needed to be protected.

I'll be at the 30th anniversary screening at the Hollywood Bowl tonight that features composer Alan Silvestri conducting an orchestra playing the score live during the film, so stay tuned later this week for a report from that event.