Exclusive: Doc Brown star says Back to the Future sequel ‘could happen’

In an exclusive interview with The National, the 77-year-old star says another film could happen if they were able to "come up with a story that matches the trilogy."

Back to the Future’s Christopher Lloyd. Reem Mohammed / The National

A fourth Back to the Future film could yet happen, according to Christopher Lloyd, who played Dr Emmett "Doc" Brown in the original trilogy.

"They'd have to come up with a story that matches the trilogy," the 77-year-old told The National, during an exclusive interview at the Middle East Film and Comic Convention.

“There’s always that thing where a film comes out and it’s great, you love it, so you try again and it’s a disappointment because it doesn’t live up to the original.

“They’d have to come up with some kind of concept that just, ‘pow’, jumps off from where three ended and is just as captivating. That’s a tough order.”

Back to the Future was a huge hit when it was released in 1985. The second and third films were released in 1989 and 1990.

“I know when we finished shooting part three there was a feeling of ‘We did it. That’s done’,” says Lloyd

“But I know people keep talking, and [writer] Bob Gale and the [director] Robert Zemeckis may be thinking about something. I don’t know – I’m just speculating. It could happen.”

The original trilogy certainly still inspires enough devotion in fans to make some sort of a sequel viable – as seen last year during the many celebrations for the 30th anniversary of the first film, which coincided with the date – October 23, 2015 – that Marty McFly (Michael J Fox) and Doc Brown visited in the second film.

Both Lloyd and Fox have already reprised their roles for one-off special appearances or advertising campaigns. However, many fans view the trilogy as being perfect the way it is, so any attempt to make a sequel might prove difficult.

Lloyd is clearly proud to have been a part of a series of films that continues to hold a special place in the hearts of so many people, more than 30 years after it began – and which has influenced many lives.

"It's really been a privilege to be part of something that has meant so much to so many," he says. "I meet people on the street who, literally, chose their careers because they saw Back to the Future and decided they wanted to be scientists or astronomers or engineers.

“The film had a real impact on so many people and the impact is always positive because people enjoyed the film so much. Kids that first saw the film when it came out in 1985 grew up and had kids and they saw the film, and now they’ve grown up and had kids who’ve seen the film. It just keeps moving along.”

Lloyd will always be fondly remembered for his role as Doc Brown – but he has appeared in a host of successful movies and TV series during a long and distinguished career, including his big-screen debut in Milos Forman's 1975 classic One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Addams Family and his breakthrough role in the long-running TV sitcom, Taxi. He has also had a successful career on stage.

“In a way, theatre is still my first love,” he says. “I started in theatre when I was 13 or 14 years old and did a lot of theatre until my early thirties. Off-Broadway stuff – off-off-off-off-Broadway stuff – and I do love it. Every couple of years I go back and do a play. It’s really comfortable for me, it’s a nice feeling.”

Lloyd is approaching his ninth decade but shows no sign of retiring just yet. Despite an impressive list of co-stars, including greats such as Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito and Bob Hoskins, it seems there’s always someone else Lloyd can’t wait to work with.

"I'm about to do a small independent film with Christopher Plummer [the Canadian star of The Sound of Music and The Man Who Would be King]," he says. "We start shooting in June.

“I’ve worked with so many great actors, it’s hard to even remember them all, but he’s an icon to me and I’m really excited about getting to meet him and chat with him because he’s a wonderful veteran theatre and film actor.”