Back to the Future was almost a very different movie as rare footage of original Marty McFly actor resurfaces

Eric Stoltz was fired from Back to the Future around six weeks into filming, with Michael J. Fox taking over the role of Marty McFly in his place.

Stoltz had been cast as the co-lead in the 1985 film and had already completed footage as Marty by the time the decision was made.

Fox, who was best known for playing Alex P. Keaton in the sitcom Family Ties, was just 24 when the movie debuted ahead of the July 4th holiday that year.

He was infact, the team’s first choice, but his commitment to Family Ties initially took him out of the running.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the time travel film quickly became a major hit for Universal Pictures and sparked interest in a sequel.

Filming on the third and final installment had already started before Back to the Future II reached theaters in 1989.

Getting the project off the ground was no easy task.

Zemeckis received more than three dozen rejections before Universal green lit the idea, and studio president Sidney Sheinberg remained heavily involved during development.

He strongly encouraged the team to cast Stoltz, whose performance in Mask was a major factor, so Zemeckis and the producers went along with the choice.

Why was Eric Stoltz fired from Back to the Future?

Stoltz was a method actor who only answered to the character’s name and wore the movie’s clothes to and from the set.

The cast and crew admired his dedication, but his seriousness had a few negative side effects.

Although considered sci-fi, Back to the Future depended on comedy, especially from Marty’s interactions with the other characters.

Stoltz was undeniably a good actor, but he didn’t hit the level of comedy needed to play Marty. His demeanor also rubbed a few cast members the wrong way, including Thomas F. Wilson, who played Biff Tannen in the trilogy.

In early January 1985, the team approached Fox about the recast plans. A few days later, Zemeckis broke the news to a heartbroken Stoltz while Fox took over.

Even though Family Ties was still the priority, Fox got the movie back on track after it had fallen a month behind schedule.

Up to that point, Fox had only starred in two other films: Midnight Madness and Class of 1984. Thanks to his TV popularity, he was arguably the most well-known face in the film.

The other most recognizable was Christopher Lloyd, who played Doc Brown and was best known for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and the sitcom Taxi.

Who played Jennifer Parker in Back to the Future?

Marty’s love interest, Jennifer Parker, also went through casting changes across the trilogy.

Claudia Wells was the first actress cast in the role, and she worked opposite Stoltz until he was deemed unfit to play Marty. She appeared alongside Fox in the first film, but that was the end of her work in the franchise.

Due to scheduling conflicts with Wells, Melora Hardin of The Office was brought in as Jennifer for Back to the Future II, but she was deemed ‘too tall’ opposite Fox.

The franchise wanted Wells back, but she had to turn down the offer to help a sick family member. Elisabeth Shue was then recast as Jennifer Parker and appeared in both sequels.