Universal won’t let Robert Zemeckis bring Back to the Future musical to the screen

A film adaptation of a Broadway musical of a major motion picture? Great Scott! It’s been done before but Robert Zemeckis would really love bringing Back to the Future to the screen — again, this time as a cinematic take on the hit musical. But will he ever get the chance?

While his latest movie Here flounders at the box office, Robert Zemeckis is on the promotional circuit also highlighting some of his greatest hits, including one of his biggest money makers, 1985’s Back to the Future. As far as his plans, inspiration and its status, he noted, “I would like to do the Back to the Future, the musical. Just like [Mel] Brooks did The Producers. I would love to do that. I think that would be great… I floated that out to the folks at Universal. They don’t get it. So, nothing I can do.”

The Back to the Future musical debuted in 2020 in England before hitting Broadway in 2023. Through this run, it would be nominated for two Tony Award nominations: Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Roger Bart (portraying Doc Brown) and Best Scenic Design of a Musical. Unfortunately for fans of the show, it will be closing in January after more than 500 shows and generating a reported $80 million in ticket sales. The show had some pretty strong prestige behind it, with new music by composer Alan Silvestri, lyrics by former Alanis Morissette collaborator Glen Ballard and book by Back to the Future trilogy co-writer and producer Bob Gale.

While Robert Zemeckis has never directed a musical, his taking on Back to the Future would feel like a perfect project for him. Not only would he be revisiting one of his trademark films, but his debut, 1978’s I Wanna Hold Your Hand, was a music-centric gem. Seriously, it’s one of the most fun movies of its time, chronicling a group of girls trying to see The Beatles on what would be their groundbreaking appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Should Universal show Robert Zemeckis the power of love and let him make a movie version of the Back to the Future?