The reason why Back to the Future Part II is so dark is because one of the original Back to the Future cast members refused to reprise his role in the sequel. Back to the Future Part II follows on from the cliffhanger ending of the first Back to the Future, as Doc Brown takes Marty McFly into the future to prevent his son from making a huge mistake. The plot takes a grim turn when Doc and Marty return to a dystopian alternate version of the present.
This dark turn fit in with a trend of sequels going darker than their predecessor. The trend originated with The Empire Strikes Back and could later be seen in movies like The Dark Knight and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. With that said, the Back to the Future sequel wouldn’t have been so dark if one of the main actors from the first film had returned, as his refusal to come back for the sequel necessitated a shocking storyline in which his character died.
Crispin Glover’s Absence Led To Back To The Future Part II’s Dystopian Future
Bob Gale Had To Kill Off George McFly Because They Lost His Actor
According to the DVD featurette “Making the Trilogy,” Back to the Future Part II was forced to take a dark turn when Crispin Glover refused to reprise his role as George McFly. Screenwriter Bob Gale explained that the whole concept of a dystopian alternate 1985 in which George is just a name on a tombstone grew out of necessity when Glover turned down the chance to appear in the sequel. Gale explains that they had Lea Thompson and Thomas F. Wilson, but they didn’t have Glover, so they had to work around that.
Why Crispin Glover Didn’t Return (& How Back To The Future Part II Got Around It)
Glover Disagreed With Robert Zemeckis About The Movie’s Message
Glover refused to return to the Back to the Future franchise after disagreeing with director Robert Zemeckis on the first film’s ending. Glover hated the fact that the supposedly happy ending revolved around the McFlys getting rich; he didn’t think that filling their happier timeline with money and material possessions sent the right message (via AVClub). On top of that, he was dissatisfied with the amount of money he was offered to appear in the sequel, so he turned it down and they parted ways.
George still technically appears in Back to the Future Part II, but he’s mostly played by stand-in Jeffrey Weissman, and he’s only played by Glover in archival footage from the first film. After the midsection in which George is a tombstone, Marty goes back to 1955 and revisits the events of the original movie. Glover can be seen in various scenes from the first film, reusing footage he already sH๏τ for the previous production.
Rewatching Back to the Future Part II without any knowledge of Glover’s refusal to return, it is difficult to pick up on the recast. George enters the 2015 timeline hanging upside-down, and the movie avoids giving too many clear sH๏τs of the character’s face. Oddly, the future George plays a very small role in Back to the Future Part II, and is largely used for comedic purposes. Any newly-filmed scenes of George McFly could have easily been cut without compromising the story, with the older Lorraine possibly making up a quick excuse about George not being able to make dinner.
What Back To The Future’s Story Might Have Been With Crispin Glover Involved
Back To The Future’s Follow-Up Could Have Been Very Different
Since Back to the Future Part II‘s plot was borne out of Crispin Glover’s absence, it is intriguing to ponder how the sequel’s story might have been different had Glover eagerly reprised the role of George McFly. Ultimately, the only element of the existing script that would need to change is George’s death and Lorraine subsequently remarrying Biff. Back to the Future Part II could have still used the basic premise of Biff obtaining the almanac, becoming rich, and turning Hill Valley into a dystopian nightmare with his face plastered on every surface.
Biff might have restored the status quo to what it was before Marty McFly changed history, forcing George McFly to become his subordinate again.
Back to the Future Part II would still have needed to give Marty McFly a personal stake in stopping Biff, however. Instead of Biff shooting George and marrying his wife, the villain could have sought revenge in a different way, perhaps by ruining George’s reputation as an author, forcing the McFly family into financial ruin, and taking their home. Biff might have even restored the status quo to what it was before Marty McFly changed history, forcing George McFly to become his subordinate again, following every order without question, just as he did in the original 1985 timeline.
The overall outcome would remain the same – the McFlys falling apart in 1985 – but Crispin Glover’s character takes a more central role as the target of Biff’s rage. As an added bonus, Back to the Future Part II could have avoided the odd subplot about Lorraine’s Biff-sponsored surgery, which leads to a very awkward scene between her and Marty. Furthermore, George’s return to being Biff’s bullying victim would add yet another parallel to the original movie, continuing the sequel’s parallel narrative.
Crispin Glover’s Back To The Future Lawsuit Explained
Back To The Future Vs. Crispin Glover Part II
In a strange twist, Back to the Future and Crispin Glover ended up disagreeing over more than just his fee, and the relationship boiled into a lawsuit. After Back to the Future Part II premiered with old footage of Glover and new footage of Jeffrey Weissman as a lookalike George McFly stand-in, the real Glover took issue and took legal action against Back to the Future Part II‘s producers over the use of his likeness. Glover has since stated (via Sirius XM) that he would have accepted being recast with a new actor, but felt that Back to the Future Part II was attempting to recreate his physical appearance.
George plays a very small role in Back to the Future Part II, and is largely used for comedic purposes.
The eventual outcome was a deal settled between parties in private, but the battle had more far-reaching repercussions. In another interview, this time with the BBC, Glover explained that the Screen Actors Guild now has rules and stipulations in place that effectively prevent movies from deliberately trying to recreate an absent actor’s appearance without permission. The practice had been relatively common before Glover, but became less so in the wake of Back to the Future Part II. The advancement of CGI and AI ensures that Glover’s case remains more relevant than ever.
Sources: Sirius XM, BBC, AVClub
