Difference between revisions of "Back to the Future (franchise)"

Latest revision as of 06:53, August 18, 2025

This article is about the real-life entertainment franchise. For the film as seen in the Simpsons universe, see Back to the Future.

Back to the Future is an American science fiction/comedy movie trilogy that stars Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox. In the first movie, which appeared in 1985, eccentric scientist Emmett "Doc" Brown (portrayed by Lloyd) builds a time machine in a DeLorean sports car. By mischance, Doc's teenage friend Marty McFly (Fox) takes the DeLorean back in time to the year 1955 and must enlist the help of Doc's 1955 counterpart to return to 1985. The sequels, Back to the Future Part II and Part III, appeared in 1989 and 1990, respectively, and chronicle the further adventures of the duo in times ranging from 1885 to 2015, as well as an alternate history version of 1985.

All three movies performed very well at the box office. The franchise has also spawned an animated / live-action television series, comic books, video games, novelizations of the movies, and a Universal Studios theme park ride.

In the Simpsons universe, the Back to the Future franchise has been referenced several times in various media.

References[edit]

Television episodes[edit]

Picture Season Episode number Episode name Reference 5 101 "The Boy Who Knew Too Much" To dodge Principal Skinner, Bart hides under a blanket in the back seat of Freddy Quimby's convertible, similar to Marty McFly hiding under a blanket in the back seat of Biff Tannen's car in Back to the Future Part II. 6 117 "Bart's Comet" Professor Frink uses a model of Springfield to demonstrate his plan for saving the town from the comet, a callback to scenes in Back to the Future and Back to the Future Part III where Doc Brown uses models to demonstrate plans to return to 1985 (from 1955 and 1885, respectively). Also, Frink's demonstration results in an explosion and fire, as does Doc's in Back to the Future. 8 160 "Lisa's Date with Density" In addition to being a wordplay on the expression "date with destiny", the episode title is a reference to the scene in the first movie where George McFly attempts to ask Lorraine out on a date. George mixes up his words and says to her, "My density has brought me to you" and "I'm your density", when he means to say "destiny". 178 "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" Bart sneaks away from a school field trip at the Springfield Police Station and pulls a prank where he lines up a row of megaphones and speaks into the last one. The resulting blast of sound not only shatters windows all over town, but also sends Bart flying backwards across the room. In the opening scene of Back to the Future, Marty McFly turns Doc Brown's sound equipment to maximum volume, plugs in his guitar, strums a chord, and is sent flying backwards across the room by the force of the sound. 10 208 "When You Dish Upon a Star" The time machine in Homer's movie script (The Terminizor: An Erotic Thriller) has a component which looks like the flux capacitor, a Y-shaped device which is the core component in Doc Brown's time machine. 11 243 "Bart to the Future" Punned in the episode title. Also, the future Nelson Muntz bears a strong resemblance to Biff Tannen in the alternate history version of 1985 seen in Back to the Future Part II. 13 279 "Half-Decent Proposal" In the first movie, shortly after Marty McFly arrives in 1955, he accidentally disrupts his parents' first meeting and later realizes that if he doesn't get them together, he will never be born. In "Half-Decent Proposal", Artie Ziff stages a re-creation of the senior prom, dances with Marge, and then kisses her. Homer watches through a skylight as the scene unfolds and laments, "If Marge marries Artie, I'll never be born!" 19 411 "That '90s Show" Marvin Cobain calling his cousin Kurt is a reference to the scene in Back to the Future where Marvin Berry calls his cousin Chuck and holds the phone toward the stage while Marty McFly and the Starlighters perform "Johnny B. Goode". 24 510 "Treehouse of Horror XXIII" The third segment, "Bart & Homer's Excellent Adventure", parodies the first movie. Professor Frink has built a time machine into a car, and Bart steals it and goes back to 1974 to buy a classic Radioactive Man comic book for its original cover price of 25 cents. While in the past, Bart disrupts Homer's and Marge's first meeting, which alters his own future as well, as Marge ends up marrying Artie Ziff. Bart decides he likes the change and wants to leave the new future as it is, but teen-aged Homer from 1974 and various other versions of Homer team up to try to change it back. 26 565 "Walking Big & Tall" While Bart and Lisa are working on Springfield's new anthem (Lisa playing her sax and Bart making armpit noises), Maggie dials on her toy phone, then holds it up to the music and smiles. Maggie's call is a reference to the scene in Back to the Future where Marvin Berry calls his cousin Chuck and holds the phone toward the stage while Marty McFly and the Starlighters perform "Johnny B. Goode". 27 580 "Friend with Benefit" When the Simpson family left Jambowski Island, the movie was about to be shown in the island's swim-up movie theatre. 585 "Teenage Mutant Milk-Caused Hurdles" Doc Brown and Marty McFly appear in the LA-Z Rider couch gag. 28 631 "3 Scenes Plus a Tag from a Marriage" Homer said that the only reason they waited through the end credits of the latest Marvel film was to see who sang "The Power of Love", and it was usually Huey Lewis. "The Power of Love" is part of the "Back to the Future" soundtrack. 32 695 "The Dad-Feelings Limited" Forward to the Past is a parody of Back to the Future. Mickey is a parody of Marty McFly. The professor is a parody of Doc Brown. 99 miles per hour is a reference to the 88 miles per hour necessary to travel through time with the DeLorean. The scientist's catchphrase "Great Steve" is a parody of Doc. Brown's catchphrase "Great Scott". "Rivers? Where we're going, we don't need rivers." is a reference to Doc's phrase "Roads? Where we're going We don't need Roads.". The theme at the end of the movie is a remix of the series' theme. 34 734 "Treehouse of Horror XXXIII" In the SimpsonsWorld section, Bart re-enacts the microphone scene from "The Secret War of Lisa Simpson" on several Ralph clones. 36 773 "Treehouse of Horror XXXV" One of the pro-LED signs says "Led Me to the Future" with the style of Back to the Future's logo. 790 "Full Heart, Empty Pool" The team for "Enchantment Under the Retractable Hoops" is based on the "Enchantment Under the Sea" school dance in Back to the Future.

Comics[edit]

Picture Comic issue Story name Reference Bart Simpson's Joke Book Bash to the Future Punned in the story title. Simpsons Comics #36 The Geek Shall Inherit the Earth When Doug meets with Troy McClure to work on making a movie with him, McClure gives his standard "You might remember me from such films as ..." introduction. However, Doug interrupts, says he knows McClure's entire filmography by heart, and rattles off a list of movies, including Back to the Sequel, a wordplay on Back to the Future. Simpsons Comics #47 N/A (front cover) The comic's subtitle "Bart to the Future!" is a pun on Back to the Future. Bart Simpson #2 Maximum Bart! Bart plugs his guitar into Professor Frink's "Nuclear-Powered Sound Projector", turns the amplifier to maximum volume, strums a chord, and gets blown across the room by the sound, the same as Marty McFly in the opening scene of Back to the Future. Futurama Simpsons Infinitely Secret Crossover Crisis #2 Liquid Diamond Is Forever! When Bart and Fry ride on flying skateboards, Comic Book Guy comments that they are ripping off the hoverboard scene from Back to the Future II. Bart Simpson #14 The Time Bandit! The comic's plot is based on the first Back to the Future film. Simpsons Comics #123 Bobbing for Vengeance While Bart is running from a mob of hypnotized Springfieldians who want to kill him, he happens upon Marty McFly and takes his skateboard. Chief Wiggum's Felonious Funnies #1 Future Cop! In Chief Wiggum's dream of being a cop in the future, Marty McFly and his "clone-daughter" are hoverboarding in a town that resembles the Hill Valley of 2015, as seen in Back to the Future Part II. When Snake comes along and steals Marty's bitcoins, he is dressed like Griff Tannen. Later, as Wiggum and his partner are flying in their air car, Leeloo from The Fifth Element falls seemingly out of nowhere and lands on their windshield, then jumps onto the flying DeLorean with Doc Brown at the wheel.

Books[edit]

Picture Book Reference Lisa Simpson's Guide to Geek Chic One of the elements on Lisa's Table of Geeky Delights is De for the DeLorean.

Games[edit]

Picture Game Reference The Simpsons Game In the level Five Characters in Search of an Author, there is an achievement titled "Back to the Futurama". To unlock it, the player must defeat 30 enemies in 3 minutes.

Twitter[edit]

Other[edit]

Picture Source Reference The Simpsons Ride Doc Brown appears in the video shown to guests who are waiting in line to take the ride. Also, Professor Frink uses a DeLorean time machine to go back in time.

Common Cast and Crew[edit]

Cast[edit]

Picture Name Role in Back to the Future Role on The Simpsons Mark Campbell Provided the singing voice of Marty McFly performing "Johnny B. Goode" in Back to the Future and Back to the Future Part II. Provided the singing voice of the country singer performing "America (I Love This Country)" in "Simple Simpson". Dan Castellaneta Voiced Doc Brown in the animated segments of the TV show. Main cast member: Voices Homer Simpson, Abraham Simpson, Krusty the Clown, Barney Gumble, Mayor Quimby, Groundskeeper Willie, and many other characters. Catherine Cavadini Voiced Jennifer Parker and other characters in the TV show. ADR loop group in The Simpsons Movie. Flea Played Needles (Marty's schoolmate in 1985 and co-worker in 2015); appeared in the second and third movies. Voiced himself (as a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers) in the Season 4 episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled". Christopher Lloyd Played Doc Brown in the movies and in the live-action segments of the TV show. Voiced Doc Brown in The Simpsons Ride; reprised the role of his Taxi character Jim Ignatowski in the Season 26 episode "My Fare Lady". ZZ Top Appeared in Back to the Future Part III performing an acoustic version of "Doubleback". Appeared in the opening montage of The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special – In 3-D! On Ice!.

Crew[edit]

Picture Name Role in Back to the Future Role on The Simpsons Larina Jean Adamson Video playback designer supervisor in Back to the Future Part II. Longtime producer (in various capacities) on the show; voice director for The Simpsons Road Rage and The Simpsons Skateboarding; provided voice recording in The Simpsons: Hit & Run; voiced a waitress in "Jazzy and the Pussycats". Jim Bolt Re-recording mixer in Back to the Future Part II and Back to the Future Part III. Sound mixer in The Simpsons Movie. Sandy De Crescent Orchestra contractor for Back to the Future Part II; music contractor for Back to the Future Part III. Music contractor for The Simpsons Movie and for the album The Simpsons Movie: The Music. Ellen Heuer Foley artist in Back to the Future Part II. Foley artist in The Simpsons Movie and (as part of Skywalker Sound) in The Simpsons Game. Greg Orloff Foley mixer in all three movies. Re-recording mixer for 123 episodes in Seasons 3 through 9 and for The Simpsons Ride.

External links[edit]

• Back to the Future (franchise) at Wikipedia