TheBack to the Futuretrilogy is one of the most beloved franchises in film history, known for its inventive storytelling, unforgettable characters, and time-traveling adventures.It’s safe to sayBack To The Futurewasn’t only a great movie, but the launching pad to an iconic trilogy praised for its interconnecting stories of set-ups and payoffs. However, when the first film was released in 1985, a sequel wasn’t part of the plan. The filmmakers crafted a satisfying ending with a thrilling cliffhanger, where Doc Brown returns from the future to whisk Marty and his girlfriend, Jennifer, off inthe flying DeLorean.
This decision created a significant challenge whenBack to the Future Part IIwent into production. Director Robert Zemeckis wasn’t thinking ahead to moreBack to the Futuremovies, and had he known one was on the horizon, he would have written the ending differently. This seemingly small decision had a ripple effect, impacting Jennifer’s role in the follow-up film.
Robert Zemeckis Would Have Removed Jennifer From Back To The Future’s Ending If He Knew Part II Would Happen
Putting Jennifer In The Car Complicated The Sequel’s Story
Robert Zemeckis has been refreshingly candid about the difficulties Jennifer’s inclusion in the DeLorean created forBack to the Future Part II.In the “Making The Trilogy” documentary featurette as part of the DVD’s special features, Zemeckis, spoke to this. “I wasn’t designing a movie for a sequel because if I was, I never would have put the girlfriend in the car. That became a gigantic problem in writing a sequel.”
Back To The Future: Why Jennifer Faints Seeing Her Future Self, But Biff Doesn’t
Back to the Future features a memorable moment where Jennifer meets her older self and faints, but why doesn’t young Biff have the same reaction?
Jennifer’s inclusion was intended to close out her and Marty’s story in the iconic final scene – he gets the girl and flies off to another adventure. However, when it came time to write the sequel, the writers had to figure out what to do with her.
So, rather than integrating Jennifer into the main narrative, the filmmakers opted to sideline the character by having her faint when she sees her future self.
Back To the Future’sJennifer, played by Claudia Wells in the first film and recast with Elisabeth Shue in the sequels, was never meant to be at the center of the story.At the core, Marty and Doc are the heart of the series.So, rather than integrating Jennifer into the main narrative, the filmmakers opted to sideline the character by having her faint when she sees her future self. This decision allowed the sequel to maintain its focus on Marty and Doc.
Back To The Future’s Ending Feels Odd Knowing A Sequel Wasn’t Planned From The Start
Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Roads
The visual spectacle of the flying DeLorean blasting off through the sky before the credits hit has burned itself into our collective memory. It’s iconic. Looking back, however, this ending feels oddly specific for a movie that wasn’t supposed to have a sequel. With Doc Brown’s sudden appearance, Marty and Jennifer being whisked away to the future, and a cryptic mention of their future children being “in trouble,” the scene seems tailor-made to tease a sequel.Yet, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale have repeatedly confirmed that no plans forPart IIexisted during the first film’s production.
Back To The Future’s Ending Hides A Blink-And-You’ll-Miss-It DeLorean Mistake
Back to the Future’s climactic ending sees Marty McFly return home to 1985, but the hectic finale hides an easy-to-miss mistake with the DeLorean.
It seems the ending ofBack To The Futurewas intended more as a playful, open-ended resolution rather than a serious setup for a continuation. The filmmakers likely wanted to send audiences out of the theater with an exhilarating “what if” scenario to ponder, not expecting to revisit those ideas later. But in hindsight, this approach feels like an accidental gamble. The specificity of Marty and Jennifer’s future problems and Doc’s dramatic urgency implied a story begging to be told, even though Zemeckis and Gale hadn’t yet envisioned what that story might be.
Back to the Future
Cast
Back to the Future follows teenager Marty McFly as he is inadvertently sent back to 1955, where he disrupts his parents' meeting. With the assistance of eccentric inventor Doc Brown, Marty must restore the timeline by ensuring his parents fall in love and find a way back to 1985.
