Is Back to the Future 4 happening? Fan-made trailer casts Tom Holland alongside Michael J Fox in sci-fi sequel

A trailer for Back to the Future 4, a sequel to one of the biggest films of the 1980s, has perplexed fans. Back to the Future combined weird sci-fi and angsty teen movies as awkward schoolkid Marty McFly is accidentally sent back in time by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, and threatens his own existence when he prevents his parents from falling in love.

Two sequels were made, one in which Marty and Doc travel to the future, well 2015, but it was the future at the time - and a less well received third instalment in which they journey back to the Wild West.

The films are now iconic, have been parodied in pop culture including adult animated series Rick and Morty, and a global day of celebration, October 21 2015, celebrated the date that Marty and Doc travelled to in the second film. But since 1990 the franchise has remained a trilogy. Now one fan-made trailer, which you can watch on YouTube, imagines Back to the Future 4. 

Is Back to the Future 4 happening?

Unfortunately, there are no official plans for a fourth Back to the Future film, and Universal Studios has not suggested one is on the horizon.

The three-film franchise made almost $1 billion off a combined budget of just under $100 billion, making it a hugely successful endeavour. It also became a cult phenomenon and the first two instalments became defining movies of the 1980s.

Yet, since the third movie in 1990, which was critically panned despite being a commercial success (despite making less money than the first two), there has been no word on a fourth film.

Even if another sequel is made it is unlikely to feature one of its main stars. Christopher Lloyd, who plays Doc Brown in the films, continues to act at 85 years old, and has eight new projects in the works. But Michael J. Fox, who starred as Marty McFly, was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 and officially retired in 2021 due to his declining health.

It’s possible that a Back to the Future sequel with a different cast could be made, and the fan-made trailer pivots in that direction with the introduction of Holland, but any such film is unlikely to live up to the originals with Fox and Lloyd.

What is the fan trailer for Back to the Future 4?

The fan-made Back to the Future 4 trailer features the face of actor Tom Holland (best known for playing Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the MCU), deepfaked onto the body of Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in the original films.

It also uses footage from other sci-fi movies, including Blade Runner, and Ready Player One, which featured the Back to the Future DeLorean in several scenes, lending some credibility to the trailer for passing viewers.

Lloyd and Fox appear to play older versions of their characters from the trilogy, whilst Holland’s appearance as the young McFly isn’t really explained. The trailer could be somewhat convincing if it weren’t for the Holland deepfake which is a dead giveaway.