Agreed and if Seth did it he could always just file off the serial numbers like he did before........
Should Seth McFarlande make Back to the Future 4?
- Thread starter Jayson1
- Start date
If you would have asked me before The Orville, I would have said no, but using The Orville as an audition, I do think MacFarlane could do serious sci-fi if he wanted to.
The problem is, can you really make BTTF without Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd? And let's face it, neither actor is up to the challenge. For me, it would have to be done with de-aging technology or via animation. I think they need to be the right ages.
De-aging technology is good enough that you could actually have actors playing CHILD versions of themselves if needed. I know it's not perfect, but it's good enough and a movie like BTTF could take it to the next level.
I just don't know what the story could be.
The problem is, can you really make BTTF without Michael J Fox and Christopher Lloyd? And let's face it, neither actor is up to the challenge. For me, it would have to be done with de-aging technology or via animation. I think they need to be the right ages.
De-aging technology is good enough that you could actually have actors playing CHILD versions of themselves if needed. I know it's not perfect, but it's good enough and a movie like BTTF could take it to the next level.
I just don't know what the story could be.
There was the Cartoon from LONG ago.. that was a sequal. 
They will never fully be able to capture the exact magic of the first 3 movies but that is to be expected. What they can do though is do something that honors while also being more modern and more if it's own thing. Much like how The Orville very much captures the spirit of TNG but is also modern and has more relatable characters that people can sort of see themselves in as opposed to being heroic types. I do think it would tend to lend more towards than the comedy than the classic movies but you can see with what he does that he doesn't want to just do non-stop Family Guy his whole life. He is trying to expand his brand. It's also possible he would bring in other writers as well to help if he needs it.
Jason
I don't know if your first sentence is true. You need the right writer, the original people, and new characters that can carry the load. I have two perfect examples. First, you had Dallas TNT, which brilliantly captured the greatness of the original. They had a perfect mix of the top three original cast members, and the new cast members were perfectly cast. That show nailed it.
Another example is Cobra Kai, which does the same thing. It's still Johnny's and Daniel's story, but the new characters are vital to the show. Maybe they could follow this route and make a TV series, but if they do, it really has to be done perfectly. It's not easy.
I think MacFarlane's Orville is better Star Trek than Discovery Season 1. Ironically, the humor is the worst part of the show. I think it works very well in the sci-fi genre and it showcases that MacFarlane CAN do sci fi.
How is Michael J. Fox doing these days? I haven't seen him since his sitcom ended a few years ago.
Based on the trailers and clips, it looks like we could probably add Bill & Ted Face the Music after it comes out on Friday.
To think they almost did, when they first went with Eric Stoltz, filming many scenes and then realizing he really wasn't working and trying to entice Fox with a compromise due to his schedule with Family Ties. Having looked it up recently, I was rather surprised how many scenes they had filmed with Stotlz, including scenes that never made it into the movie. It was a lot more than I had remembered hearing about, as they'd done some significant work with him before canning him.
Produce maybe, but definitely not write. His writing style only works for a very specific type of show. I definitely wouldn't want him writing something like The 100 or Westworld.
Why Seth McFarlane? Just because he's a huge fan?
-Constantly pays homage to the trilogy in his animated series
-Owns a BTTF time machine delorean
https://grantland.com/hollywood-pro...er-and-parties-with-famed-british-orchestras/
-Paid homage to the movies in "A million ways to die in the west"
That's like asking Patton Oswalt to direct the next Star Wars movie. It makes no sense why we have to single out Seth McFarlane to direct a new BTTF movie
Tom Holland based his Peter Parker's mannerisms off Michael J Fox's performance as Marty Mcfly. He could play Marty's son.
-Constantly pays homage to the trilogy in his animated series
-Owns a BTTF time machine delorean
https://grantland.com/hollywood-pro...er-and-parties-with-famed-british-orchestras/
-Paid homage to the movies in "A million ways to die in the west"
That's like asking Patton Oswalt to direct the next Star Wars movie. It makes no sense why we have to single out Seth McFarlane to direct a new BTTF movie
Tom Holland based his Peter Parker's mannerisms off Michael J Fox's performance as Marty Mcfly. He could play Marty's son.
There have already been sequels/continuations to the movies.
Back to the Future: The Ride taking place in the same year the ride opened at Universal Studios Florida. 1991.
A Cartoon series with Doc and family living in 1991/1992, years when the series aired, Hill Valley that lasted two seasons.
A Harvey Comics run that lasted seven issues based off the cartoon.
Back to the Future: The Game which takes place, from Marty's perspective, about a six months after Part III.
IDW's Back to the Future: Tales from the Time Train taking place after the Time Train left in Part III.
Last edited:
I have a hard time seeing the Orville crew as relatable except maybe Claire. Maybe more so than TNG but not nearly as much as DS9.
Half the characters end up being comic goof offs who use generic dumb guy cliches to diffuse any emotional intensity a scene could have. And he also tends to normalize extremely terrible and criminal behavior. All the roofie jokes in Family guy, Rob Lowe basically roofieing the crew in Orville, cutting off a person’s leg as a prank. Things that you can do in a comedy but in a serious drama would have to be treated seriously with all the consequences and psychological damage.
That’s why McFarlane’s a better candidate for a parody time travel movie than a BTTF. At any emotionally intense scene he’ll have a guy hump a statue or something or deadpan react to a rape joke, or start acting like a petty jealous idiot.
Half the characters end up being comic goof offs who use generic dumb guy cliches to diffuse any emotional intensity a scene could have. And he also tends to normalize extremely terrible and criminal behavior. All the roofie jokes in Family guy, Rob Lowe basically roofieing the crew in Orville, cutting off a person’s leg as a prank. Things that you can do in a comedy but in a serious drama would have to be treated seriously with all the consequences and psychological damage.
That’s why McFarlane’s a better candidate for a parody time travel movie than a BTTF. At any emotionally intense scene he’ll have a guy hump a statue or something or deadpan react to a rape joke, or start acting like a petty jealous idiot.
He makes a very different type of movie from the original Back to Future movies, so whether or not he could make Back to the Future movie depends on what you are looking for.
If you want something done in the same style as the first three, he would be a bad choice, but if you want a new BTTF done in the style of his movies and shows, then he'd be a great choice.
Tales from the Time Train was just the first arc in the ongoing series, the whole thing takes place after the movies.
Similar threads
- Locked
