Back to the Future’s Doc Brown and Principal Strickland stage a hilarious reunion 40 years after the classic sci-fi movie’s release. Christopher Lloyd played Back to the Future’s mad genius best friend of Michael J. Fox’s time-hopping Marty McFly, reprising the role in a pair of sequels. A familiar face from scores of ‘80s classics, James Tolkan was perfectly cast as the follicly-challenged disciplinarian in charge of Hill Valley High School, both in 1955 and 1985 (and as Strickland’s ancestor in 1885).

40 years after Back to the Future released in theaters, going on to gross $388 million worldwide while launching a franchise, stars Lloyd and Tolkan enjoyed a reunion, as chronicled by Lloyd in a hilarious image paying homage to Strickland’s famous aversion to slackers. The meet-up happened on May 18 at a Fan Expo event in Philadelphia that also featured original Jennifer actor Claudia Wells (via X):

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What Lloyd And Tolkan’s Reunion Means For Back To The Future

A Fourth Film Is Unlikely To Happen

While it’s always fun seeing Back to the Future stars reconnect as in the above pH๏τo, the big question is whether there will ever be a fourth film added to the original series, which wrapped up with 1989’s Back to the Future III. Lloyd himself addressed this question in a 2023 interview, telling Yahoo! Entertainment that he’s satisfied with the story told by the original three movies, but leaving the door open on reprising the role of Doc Brown:

“I know at one point they were seriously contemplating a fourth film, but I feel that the made an entire arc with the three movies and that’s the story. Maybe if somebody came up with an incredibly unique story for number four, but we’ve moved on a little bit. So I don’t think that’s gonna happen, but you never know.”

Back to the Future co-writer Bob Gale was much more blunt in his own remarks about a possible fourth film, slamming that door shut during his appearance at the Saturn Awards earlier in 2025 (via EW):

People always say, ‘Well, when are you guys gonna do Back to the Future 4?’ And we say, ‘F— you.’ You can quote me on that.

Gale’s Back to the Future co-writer and the film’s director Robert Zemeckis was less profane in 2024 when he talked about bringing the franchise back, floating a movie sequel idea that would mirror what Mel Brooks did with The Producers (via Happy Sad Confused):

I would like to do the Back to the Future, the musical. Just like [Mel] Brooks did The Producers. I would love to do that. I think that would be great… I floated that out to the folks at Universal. They don’t get it. So, nothing I can do.

Back to the Future: The Musical did become a reality in 2020, but as a stage production based on the first film. Were Zemeckis to direct a movie version of that musical, it would be a reversal of what Brooks did with The Producers, which was released as a movie first, and many years later as a hugely successful stage show.

Our Take On Lloyd And Tolkan’s Reunion

Back To The Future Is Still Creating Fun Memories

Lloyd crafted one of filmdom’s most memorable crazy scientist characters with Doc Brown, who went on to inspire Rick Sanchez of Rick and Morty fame. Tolkan’s Strickland, meanwhile, is a prime example of that staple character of ‘80s cinema, the stern and humorless authority figure who is there to be driven nuts by the rebellious protagonist. Tolkan arguably perfected that particular role a year after Back to the Future when he played Maverick’s foil Jardian in Top Gun.

The 93-year old Tolkan and the 86-year-old Lloyd seemed to get a kick out of seeing each other again, 40 years after Back to the Future came into their lives. That people are still talking about Back to the Future 4 happening all these years later is testament to the series’ enduring appeal and pop culture relevance. But as long as Zemeckis and Gale control the IP, there will be no franchise-continuing movie (except perhaps a musical).

Source: Christopher Lloyd/X