In celebration of the upcoming 25th anniversary of the classic 80′s films, a new DVD box set is being released of the Back to the Future Trilogy complete previously unseen footage from the first 5 weeks of production of the film. This previously unseen footage features the character we all know and love, Marty McFly, going back to 1955 by way of a time-traveling Delorean car — but what makes this particular footage special is that actor Eric Stoltz was originally cast as Marty McFly … behold:
Everyone knows the classic 1985 film “Back to the Future” featured a boyish Michael J. Fox in a winning performance as Marty McFly. But Fox was not the original McFly. In fact, Eric Stoltz was five weeks into shooting the famed McFly role when director and co-writer Robert Zemeckis made a drastic production decision — changing his lead actor. Details of the shocking Hollywood switch and never-before-seen footage of Stoltz as McFly are part of the extras package for the “Back to the Future 25th Anniversary Trilogy” to be released on Blu-Ray on Oct. 26. Zemeckis says the casting change was “this horrific decision; it was heartbreaking for everybody.” Executive producer Steven Spielberg said that Zemeckis consulted him before pursuing the casting change. “(Zemeckis) showed me the first five weeks of shooting that he had put together,” Spielberg said. ” And he said, ‘I just don’t think we’re getting the laughs I was hoping we would get.’ ” Spielberg said he realized his director “was absolutely correct.” The rest is pop-culture history.
I knew that Stoltz was cast as the original Marty McFly but I had never seen footage of him in the role. After the jump, check out video from the Back to the Future Trilogy box set that shows key scenes from Back to the Future with Eric Stolz as Marty McFly …
Holy shizz!! This footage BLOWS MY MIND! I am such a big fan of the Back to the Future films … news of this remastered DVD box set is really exciting. Click HERE to preorder your copy now! Equally exciting is the news that AMC Theaters will show Back to the Future on the big screen again at the end of this month in celebration of the film’s 25th anniversary:
The film will only be shown on October 23 and 25, click HERE for more deets. Talk about your blast from the past … er, future ;)
[Source]
I love Eric Stolz as an actor but him as Mr. Mcfly just doesn’t work. I wonder if he would have stayed if the series would have been such a success as it eventually became. That is crazy and I will see it in the theater when it is rereleased!
Wasnt Eric Stolz also cast as Alex Keaton in Family Ties? It would be a bummer if he missed out on 2 success due to one Michael J FOx.
Delorean!
I lurve Eric Stoltz, but Michael J Fox IS Marty McFly. I loved these movies and still find them enjoyable.
Stoltz is undoubtedly a very good actor – his performance in the movie “Mask” still makes me tear up. But this was so NOT the role for him. It’s obvious that Michael J. Fox WAS Marty McFly. The same can be said for Christopher Lloyd (Doc Brown)… I certainly don’t think any one else could have done it better.
-
Would the movie have been such a hit had Fox NOT been given the role? The same applies to TV’s “Family Ties” – Any other actor playing Alex Keaton might not have worked & the show would have been gone after1 or 2 seasons.
-
Who knows?
Stolz sure looks more like George McFly’s son though, eh?
I have loved that movie since I was little! It is so crazy to see him looking so much like Michael J. Fox. Also, I loved the movie Mask but I had no idea that is what the actor looked like under all that. Wow.
Huh. I thought this was common knowledge. Could it be that I’m an even bigger movie geek than I thought?
@toothandclaw — yeah, it’s something I heard about a long time ago too … but without seeing the actual footage, it really didn’t register for me. plus, i had no idea that Stotlz actually filmed a lot of footage in the role. this footage just blows my mind!
The Back to the Future trilogy movies are my absolute favorite movies of all time!! Trent, you got my hopes so high when you said they were gonna be rereleased in theaters, only to have my little heart crushed when I saw I don’t live near an AMC theater! Drats! Oh well, I’ll still rush out to buy my blu-ray copy.
Hi Trent! Thank you SO much for posting this =) I am def going to check out this movie at my local AMC on the 25th. (Thank God we finally got one!!) I LOVE Back to the Future… It’s one of my “desert island” movies; what I would bring if I were stranded, lol.
So odd seeing someone other than MJF as Marty…
god well i have no idea who eric stolz , i guess im to young But… MJF is Marty McFly, there is couldn’t possibly be anyone else who played the character as perfectly as he did. i just have to download the movies now. totally buzzing
WOW! I love Back to the Future and have always thought of myself as somewhat of a movie geek but I had never known that Eric Stolz was the original Marty, I loved Eric in Some Kind of Wonderful, but MJF will always be Marty!
Well gotta admit he looks a lot more like George McFly’s son for sure, but Michael J Fox WAS Marty McFly. Can’t imagine it any other way. And Christopher Lloyd will forever be Doc Brown. Gonna rewatch my DVDs soon =)
I’d heard about his but to actually see it is just amazing… Michael J. Fox so embodies the role of Marty that it’s just astounding to see anyone else in the role. And Eric Stolz.. hard to imagine such a “serious” guy playing that part. Definitely a right decision!
I have the regular DVD’s…. and have had them for some time (as well as the VHS actually) and they have all this on the behind the scene stuff.