'Back to the Future' Stage Musical in the Works

Credit: Universal

YES! Back to the Future is back! To the stage, this time.

Director Robert Zemeckis, screenwriter Bob Gale and theater director Jamie Lloyd have confirmed development on a stage musical based on the 1985 classic, which is looking towards a premiere in London’s West End by next year, the 30th anniversary year of the smash film. This is seriously the best news of the day, for me, although I'm not sure if that marks me as easily excitable, or if it simply bodes ill for my Fridays. But dammit, Back to the Future will never get old for me!

Further details via The Hollywood Reporter:

Universal Stage Productions, producer Colin Ingram and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment are behind the project, which will feature new music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard. Additional music heard in the film by Huey Lewis & the News, Chuck Berry, Pat Ballard and Curtis Williams, including “The Power of Love” and “Johnny B. Goode,” will also be featured.

The classic sci-fi comedy starred Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, who is transported 30 years into the past in a time-traveling car invented by his friend Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd). In addition to finding his way back to 1985, he also has to ensure his own existence by keeping his high-school age parents’ romance on track.

The film grossed $360.6 million at the worldwide box office and spawned two sequels. In total, the franchise earned $936.million. Zemeckis directed all three features, which he co-wrote with Gale.

The stage musical is aiming to premiere in London during the 2015-16 theater season, which will be a tall order. However, an adaptation means, at the very least, that they won't have to worry about building up an original story from scratch. In essence, this is a case of finding out what elements of the original film will work onstage, and how best to integrate music into the story. However, the actual production aspects of the musical are likely to be rigorously complex. But Gale is confident that he and Zemeckis can get the job done.

“The Back to the Future Musical is a project that Bob Zemeckis and I have been exploring for almost ten years,” said Gale. “We know the integrity of the material will be preserved in a production that will be a wonderful companion to the Trilogy.”

“I was five when I saw Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale’s landmark movie, Back to the Future, and I have been a huge fan ever since,” added director Lloyd. “The production will include illusions, skateboarding and many other surprises that will capture the spirit of the film but freshly interpret it for a new audience.”

Lloyd currently has a hit in the West End with his musical The Commitments, based on the 1991 film of the same name. And Lloyd isn't the only member of the production who is well-versed in film-to-stage adaptations, as six-time Grammy winner Ballard has previously teamed with Dave Stewart on the score for Ghost: The Musical, which played in London and Broadway. Ballard is also a former collaborator with Zemeckis, as he worked alongside film score composer Silvestri on the Oscar-nominated song “Believe” from the director’s animated hit The Polar Express.

So what do you think? Good idea? Great idea? BEST idea? Sound off in the comments!