The story behind replacing Eric Stoltz with Michael J. Fox in BACK TO THE FUTURE

Hollywood film productions have new problems with replacing actors in the middle of production if things don’t work out. Sometimes it’s creative differences, sometimes it’s a bad fit, and sometimes it’s just bad luck.

Whatever the reason, looking back, changing actors almost always seems like the right choice. Think about it Eddie Murphy taking over for Sylvester Stallone In Beverly Hills cop OR Kevin Peter Sala intervening for Jean-Claude Van Damme In Predator.

The final product simply worked better. But perhaps the most famous case of all is Back to the futureWhen Eric Stoltz was replaced by Michael J. Fox.

Writer Bob Gale I got the idea Back to the future as he flipped through his father’s high school yearbook. It made him wonder: Would he and his father have been friends as teenagers? That question turned into a script co-written with Roberto Zemeckis.

When it came time to cast Marty McFly, they thought about casting Johnny Depp (A Nightmare on Elm Street) AND Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid), but the only actor they really wanted was Michael J. Fox. His comedic timing is on Family ties they made it their ideal choice, but there was a problem. The show’s producer wasn’t willing to let him go.

With Fox unavailable, the studio made its decision Eric Stoltz after also strongly considering C. Thomas Howel (Red Dawn). Stoltz was walking out of the movie Mask and it had some serious dramatic hits.

Universal CEO Sidney Sheinberg supported the decision, but with one caveat: If things didn’t work out, they might reshoot with someone else. And this is exactly what happened.

As soon as filming began, something went wrong. Stoltz was a method actor, insisting on being called “Marty” on and off the set. His approach was intense… too intense for a character who was supposed to be a fun-loving slacker. Lea Thompsonwho played Marty’s mother, recalled:

“Eric had such intensity. He saw the drama in things. He wasn’t really a comedian, and they needed a comedian. He’s super funny in real life, but he didn’t approach his work that way, and they really needed someone who had those skills.”

Stoltz also went a little too far during the physical scenes. Thomas F. Wilsonwho played Biff Tannen, ended up with real bruises after rehearsing their fight in the cafeteria. But most of all, Stoltz’s Marty didn’t have the lighthearted charm that Zemeckis and Gale had imagined.

Zemeckis said, “Eric is a really good actor and I decided to put him in the movie, but it turned out that his instincts and the kind of comedy [of] the movie we were making wasn’t really going well.”

Watching the few surviving clips of his performance, you can see the difference. In a key scene where Marty realizes he is in 1955, Stoltz acts with determination, running across the street with determination.

Fox, on the other hand, trips, hits a lamppost, and delivers the same moment with a perfect mix of confusion and humor. The change in energy completely alters the tone of the film.

After a month of filming, Zemeckis, Gale and the producers reviewed the footage and knew it didn’t work. They returned to Sheinberg, who ultimately allowed them to pursue their original choice. This time they reached an agreement. Fox could do it Back to the future until Family ties remained his priority.

As you can imagine, Fox’s program was brutal. He filmed Family ties during the day, then rushed to the Back to the future set at night. He was exhausted, but you’d never know it from his performance. His energy, charm and comedic instincts were exactly what the film needed.

Stoltz was still filming scenes when the decision was made to replace him. He didn’t know he would be released until it was official. Years later, he reflected on the experience, saying:

“I think just getting through that difficult period helped me realize how liberating it really was. I went back to acting school, moved to Europe, did some plays in New York, and actually invested in myself in a way that was much healthier for me.

“If I had become a big star, I don’t know if I wouldn’t have gone to therapy. On the other hand, I would have been extremely rich, which would have been wonderful!”

Back to the future has become an iconic film and Marty McFly is one of the most beloved movie characters of all time. Stoltz, meanwhile, has had a successful career, including a memorable turn as Lance pulp Fiction.

In the end, Back to the future it wouldn’t have been the same without Fox’s comedic skills, personality and charisma.