The Tiny Tweak to Back to the Future’s Ending That Made the Film’s Final Twist Work Perfectly

The Tiny Tweak to Back to the Future's Ending That Made the Film's Final Twist Work Perfectly

As a seasoned gamer and film enthusiast with a soft spot for time-travel tales, I can confidently say that the story of Andrew Probert, the ingenious storyboard artist behind the iconic DeLorean time machine, is one for the history books. The tale of how he subtly altered the ending of the timeless classic “Back to the Future” serves as a testament to the power of creativity and collaboration.


Following the wisdom expressed by Doctor Emmett Brown, “The future isn’t set in stone; it’s up to each of us to shape it. Aim for the best! This concept is not just a theory, but a reality on the sets of movies like Back to the Future (now available on Peacock along with its sequels).

Over a Zoom call with SYFY WIRE, Andrew Probert, the storyboard artist for “Back to the Future” who also designed the iconic DeLorean time machine, reminisced about persuading screenwriter and producer Bob Gale to modify the movie’s finale for the better.

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He shared that creating storyboards is truly captivating. As you work on one page or scene at a time, it provides an opportunity to ponder over aspects such as, “What will this scene visually represent? How will the characters execute their actions? How can I effectively illustrate these elements in my storyboard?

In the original script, it was planned that Dr. Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd), in a fit of anger, would tear up Marty’s warning note about the future and discard the pieces into his car’s ashtray. Probert commented, ‘I’m thinking, “This will make it clear to everyone about that unexpected ending,” referring to Doc’s survival.

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He brought up the issue with Gale and proposed a subtler, deceptive solution instead, which would cause the audience to entirely forget that Doc was still holding the paper scraps. Since the falling branch and interrupted cable were already part of the plan, Probert recommended that Doc quickly put the pieces into his pocket when he and Marty (Michael J. Fox) suddenly encounter a new challenge in their mission to return him to 1985.

If he moves on from a specific part of his letter too quickly and you don’t notice it because it’s no longer relevant at the moment, Probert explained. He’ll handle it later. At present, our priority is to connect this cable before the crucial bolt arrives and we lose our opportunity. So Bob suggested, ‘Let’s sketch out a plan and see how it goes.’ And I did as instructed, and it turned out well.

Despite the uncertainty about whether a movie will become a huge hit or not, Probert felt a persistent hunch that they had crafted something extraordinary during the private screening they hosted for the cast and crew.

The artist found the movie incredibly entertaining for everyone, without exception. It wasn’t just ‘this person enjoyed it, but that one didn’t.’ Instead, the entire audience seemed to be captivated and enthusiastic about the film, including myself. A wide variety of people watched it, and even those who are often hard to please by understanding the inner workings, were impressed.

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2024-11-01 19:16