# Back to the Future reboot **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 7, 2010, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782 "2010-11-07T09:16:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/81 "2010-11-09T07:46:53Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I’d cast John Lithgow as Doc Brown. > [@Chef\_Troy](#): > > I think Robert Downey Jr. could make a good Doc Brown; he can totally do that twitchy, wild-eyed quality that Doc had. > > (Ooh! or, to take it in a totally different direction: Jack Black. You could do posters and web ads that said “Black is the new Brown”!) Interesting choices for Doc. Of the above, I think John Lithgow would be the best. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/82 "2010-11-09T07:53:05Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > They could address this by making the time jumps bigger. That is, from 2015, jump back 60 years into the past, to 1955, and 60 years into the future, to 2075. > > This way, both 1955 and 2075 are still hugely different from the present day, and the culture shocks can be played for laughs, like in the original series. > > One thing that would have to change for the above to work, is that Marty meets his teenage _grandmother_ in 1955, instead of his mother. Marty gets his grandfather killed. He therefore figures that his grandmother must not really be his grandmother and sleeps with her. Doc has to tell him the bad news. Marty: “AAAH! It’s impossible! I mean, if she’s my grandmother, then who’s my grandfather?” Doc: “Isn’t is obvious?” Marty: _shakes head_ Doc: “YOU ARE!” Marty: “Aaaah! Aaaaaah! AAAAAAAAAAH!” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/83 "2010-11-09T10:39:26Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Marty gets his grandfather killed. He therefore figures that his grandmother must not really be his grandmother and sleeps with her. Doc has to tell him the bad news. > > Marty: “AAAH! It’s impossible! I mean, if she’s my grandmother, then who’s my grandfather?” > Doc: “Isn’t is obvious?” > Marty: _shakes head_ > Doc: “YOU ARE!” > Marty: “Aaaah! Aaaaaah! AAAAAAAAAAH!” I don’t think it would be _Michael J._ Fox that would have a problem with that. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/84 "2010-11-09T10:42:20Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > They could address this by making the time jumps bigger. That is, from 2015, jump back 60 years into the past, to 1955, and 60 years into the future, to 2075. > > This way, both 1955 and 2075 are still hugely different from the present day, and the culture shocks can be played for laughs, like in the original series. > > One thing that would have to change for the above to work, is that Marty meets his teenage _grandmother_ in 1955, instead of his mother. I thought of that, but going back to the '50s was already done. You do need to be different if you are going to bother at all. Also, once you get past a single generation, aging makeup starts looking really fake. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/85 "2010-11-09T10:45:43Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I don’t think it would be _Michael J._ Fox that would have a problem with that. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/86 "2010-11-09T10:50:56Z")
Seriously though, 30 years ago was 1980. And 1980 was less technologically advanced than 1985. Maybe not by much, but, for example, people were more likely to have a home computer in 1985, even if it was C64, then they were in 1980. Also, CDs and CD players didn’t come out commercially until 1982. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/87 "2010-11-09T11:03:36Z")
You could conceivably go back forty years to 1970, where everything was orange-and-brown and wore wide ties. It’s a markedly different time than any other in the 20th century. It was a time of upheaval and rapid change. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/88 "2010-11-09T13:13:21Z")
1980 or 1981 would be times of punk rock, disco, the Soviet Union and completely analog technology. It’s not the 1950’s, but I still think there is enough difference for it to make a strong contrast to the present. It is thirty years ago, after all. At least for people young today, it’s quite a different era. Thirty years from now, of course, would be complete science fiction so anything goes. You would have to struggle to find something as cool as a hoverboard though (still waiting for it to happen!). ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/89 "2010-11-09T17:23:25Z")
> [@Nobody](#): > > Seriously though, 30 years ago was 1980. And 1980 was less technologically advanced than 1985. Maybe not by much, but, for example, people were more likely to have a home computer in 1985, even if it was C64, then they were in 1980. Also, CDs and CD players didn’t come out commercially until 1982. > [@cactus\_waltz](#): > > 1980 or 1981 would be times of punk rock, disco, the Soviet Union and completely analog technology. And the economy would be just recovering from the gas crisis. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/90 "2010-11-09T18:01:21Z")
Oddly enough, I caught a few minutes of “Howard the Duck” last night, with Lea Thompson as an 80s new wave rocker. Wow. It looked like a parody of the 80s, with the new wave costumes and big hair and soul-less synthesizer music. Maybe the 80s were a different planet after all. [Cite.](http://www.flickr.com/photos/got80s/2685006279/) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/91 "2010-11-09T18:39:08Z")
Remember Marty goes to the 50’s and sees an old Lucy show on the family’s tv? If they go back to the early 80’s it could be an episode of _Family Ties_. Nice cameo in the movie for Michael. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/92 "2010-11-09T18:53:34Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Remember Marty goes to the 50’s and sees an old Lucy show on the family’s tv? > > If they go back to the early 80’s it could be an episode of _Family Ties_. Nice cameo in the movie for Michael. That’s actually a bit touching. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/93 "2010-11-09T23:10:03Z")
I think it was an episode of _The Honeymooners_, actually. Recall that Marty recognized the episode as “the one where Ralph is the man from space”. But the _Family Ties_ idea is still cute, though. ---
**Author:** ![MacSpon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@MacSpon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacSpon)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/94 "2010-11-11T00:47:53Z")
As long as the series is being rebooted, what about changing Marty to a girl? That might give a different enough perspective that it could actually be worth watching. In which case … who would you pick for a female lead to replace Michael J? ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/95 "2010-11-11T01:01:36Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > As long as the series is being rebooted, what about changing Marty to a girl? That might give a different enough perspective that it could actually be worth watching. > > In which case … who would you pick for a female lead to replace Michael J? Since I’m unfamiliar with a lot of young actresses, the only name I can think of is Ellen Page. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/96 "2010-11-11T01:22:11Z")
What about Tommy Lee Jones as Doc Brown? Too old and stoic? I like Lithgow. He’d be brilliant. Laugh while you can, monkey boy! ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/97 "2010-11-11T01:51:19Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > That’s interesting, because when trying to come up with a good Biff, all I could think of was Jake Busey. But he’s way too old. What about the guy that plays Puck on Glee? And if it was the 80’s he could even keep the mohawk, just have him say “I pity the fool” before beating up George or something. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/98 "2010-11-11T02:32:12Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > As long as the series is being rebooted, what about changing Marty to a girl? Heresy! ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/99 "2010-11-11T21:48:49Z")
> [@MacSpon](#): > > As long as the series is being rebooted, what about changing Marty to a girl? That might give a different enough perspective that it could actually be worth watching. Already did it in BttF #2. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782/100 "2010-11-11T22:02:11Z")
Doc Brown-Jeff Goldblum Marty McFly-Seth Green(would work if Marty is in college) The “car”-[The Dodge _Tomahawk_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_Tomahawk) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-the-future-reboot/559782.md?page=6)