There are a few films from the 1980s that have managed to stand the test of time, and remain endearing classics to this day.E.T.,Raiders of the Lost Ark, andThe Terminatorare just a few that come to mind, as doesBack to the Future, Robert Zemeckis' sci-fi classic starringMichael J. Fox. Released in 1985, the time-traveling tale about a teenager sent back to 1955 to make sure his parents fall in love in order to save his own existence was filled with memorable moments. Now, 40 years later, Fox and one of his co-starsrecently reunited to recreate one of our favorite scenes, and the results are enough to bring a tear to your eye.
Appearing at Fan Expo New Orleans this past weekend, Fox (63) and the now 93-year-oldJames Tolkangot together for a photo op, which was posted toInstagram(seen below) and recreated one of their iconic moments fromBack to the Future. The scene in question saw Tolkan’s character of Principal Strickland confrontFox’s Marty McFly, warning him to stay away from Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). After chastising him for the company he keeps, Strickland sticks a finger in his face, saying, “You got a real attitude problem, McFly. You’re a slacker!”
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“Slackers never change and Mr. Strickland will be sure to remind you,” said the accompanying caption on Instagram. “Michael J. Fox and James Tolkan reunited at #FANEXPONewOrleans2025 today and it was just like old times.” Indeed, it was, as their photo not only reminded us of how greatBack to the Futureis, but also, try as we might, we can never outrun Father Time. In the years since the film was released, Fox would go on to be diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, cutting his acting career short, while Tolkan appeared in a number of movies, includingBack to the Future’stwo sequels, and 2015’sBone Tomahawk. Can you believe he’s 93? Man, time really does fly.
‘Back to the Future’ Will Never Get Another Sequel
While a lot of films from the 1980s and 1990s are being rebooted these days for a modern audience, fans can at least take comfort in knowing thatBack to the Futurewill never be one of them. According to Zemeckis,the original trilogydoesn’t need a legacy sequel, and should just be left alone. When he appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast last year, he was asked how often Universal approached him about the possibility of once more playing in theBack to the Futuresandbox, and he put the issue to rest once and for all.
“Every six months…no. That’s an exaggeration. Yeah, they say is there anything we can figure out to do here, and we have to say yeah, there are different things that might work, but to remake the movie or suggest that there is a Back to the Future 4, it just isn’t in the cards.”
To that we say thank goodness, because any potential sequel would most likely have to move forward without Fox, which would no doubt make it a pale imitation of what came before, and arguably tarnish its legacy. If you don’t already own them, you may check out all threeBack to the Futuremovies available now on all VOD platforms.
Back to the Future
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.
