Back to the Future (1985): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
Back to the Future is a 1985 adventure comedy directed by Robert Zemeckis, starring Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox. It runs 1 hour 56 minutes and earned $385.1 million worldwide on a $19 million budget. It won 1 Oscar, including Sound Effects Editing, and 2 awards in all. Critics gave it 87 on Metacritic.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 56m (116 min)
- Director
- Robert Zemeckis
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Universal Pictures
- Budget
- $19M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Back to the Future About?
The premise of Back to the Future without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A teenager is accidentally sent thirty years into the past and must ensure his parents fall in love to secure his own existence. With the help of a quirky scientist, he navigates the challenges of 1955 while trying to repair the timeline and return to his own time. His actions inadvertently threaten to erase him from history, leading to a race against time to restore the past and find a way back to the future.
Back to the Future Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- time travel
- time machine
- delorean
- 1980s
- 1950s
- high school
- year 1985
- year 1955
- dr. emmett l. brown character
- mother son relationship
- clock tower
- teen comedy
+38 more Show fewer
- reference to star wars
- teenage girl
- famous score
- castle thunder
- blockbuster
- video camera
- school dance
- time paradox
- marty mcfly character
- father son relationship
- race against time
- part of trilogy
- paradox
- clock
- inventor
- shopping mall
- peeping tom
- hero
- national film registry
- plutonium
- mother son incest avoided
- pay phone
- rube goldberg machine
- first of series
- product placement
- remote control car
- love at first sight
- skateboard
- bully
- breakfast machine
- flying car
- nuclear power
- young love
- original story
- person in a car trunk
- fish out of water
- jeep
- scientist
Back to the Future Cast
Christopher Lloyd leads the cast, with Michael J. Fox. Directed by Robert Zemeckis.
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Director Robert Zemeckis
More from Robert Zemeckis
More films directed by Robert Zemeckis, best-rated first: Forrest Gump, Cast Away, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Flight.
Back to the Future Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Back to the Future 87 on Metacritic.
-
Metacritic 87 Metascore
User score 9.0
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 83% User score
See on TMDB
Back to the Future Plot Summary
What happens in Back to the Future from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In 1985, a teenager named Marty McFly finds himself grappling with common teenage struggles in Hill Valley, California. Living with his deeply troubled mother, Lorraine, who is plagued by depression and alcohol, and his siblings who have seen their ambitions fade, Marty’s reality often feels disappointing. His father, George, constantly bullied by the menacing Biff Tannen, adds to the gloom. After a disheartening audition with his band, Marty shares his fears with his girlfriend, Jennifer Parker, admitting his worries about becoming like his parents, despite his innate ambition.
Full summary
The whole story of Back to the Future, scene by scene
Back to the Future Box Office & Budget
Back to the Future grossed $385.1 million worldwide on a $19 million budget, 20 times what it cost. $214.6 million came from the US and Canada and $170.5 million (44%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$385.1M
20× its budget
- US & Canada
- $214.6M
- International
- $170.5M
- Budget
- $19M
Back to the Future Awards & Nominations
Back to the Future won 1 Oscar, including Sound Effects Editing, and 2 awards in all. Its biggest night was the Saturn Awards 1986, with 1 win from 7 nominations.
2 wins20 nominations4 ceremonies
-
Saturn Awards 1986 1 win · 7 nominations- Won Best Actor
- Nominated Best Costumes
- Nominated Best Director
- Nominated Best Make-up
- Nominated Best Music
-
Oscars 1986 1 win · 4 nominations- Won Sound Effects Editing
- Nominated Music (Original Song)
- Nominated Sound
- Nominated Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
-
BAFTA 1986 5 nominations- Nominated Best Editing
- Nominated Best Film – Robert Zemeckis
- Nominated Best Original Screenplay – Robert Zemeckis
- Nominated Best Production Design
- Nominated Best Special Visual Effects
-
Golden Globes 1986 4 nominations- Nominated Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical
- Nominated Best Original Song – Huey Lewis
- Nominated Best Performance in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical (Actor) – Michael J. Fox
- Nominated Best Screenplay
Back to the Future Trailers & Videos
19 videos: 6 trailers, 5 clips and 8 behind-the-scenes videos.
- Trailer Theatrical Trailer
- Trailer 30th Anniversary Trailer
- Trailer Official Digital Remaster Trailer
- Trailer Theatrical Trailer
How Well Do You Know Back to the Future?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What year does Marty McFly initially travel back to?
Back to the Future Also Known As
55 alternative titles, including “Aftur til framtíðar” and “Vrnitev v prihodnost”.
- Also known as
-
- Aftur til framtíðar
- Vrnitev v prihodnost
- Terug naar de Toekomst
- Назад в будущee
- Повратак у будућност
- 빽 투 더 퓨쳐
- 빽 투 더 퓨처
- 백 투 더 퓨처
- 백 투 더 퓨쳐
- バック・トゥ・ザ・フューチャー
- Volver al Futuro
- Gələcəyə Dönüş
+43 more Show fewer
- Retour vers le futur
- Zurueck in die Zukunft
- Regreso al futuro
- Retour vers le futur 1
- Retour vers le futur I
- Հետ Դեպի Ապագա
- Het Depi Apaga
- Space Man From Pluto
- De Volta Para o Futuro
- Regresso Para o Futuro
- Назад у будучыню
- Zurück in die Zukunft
- Ritorno al futuro
- Назад в будущее
- Návrat do budoucnosti
- Vissza a jövőbe
- Regresso ao Futuro
- Návrat do budúcnosti
- Geleceğe Dönüş
- 回到未来
- Επιστροφή στο Μέλλον
- Tillbaka till framtiden
- Paluu tulevaisuuteen
- Powrót do przyszłości
- Tilbage til fremtiden
- Завръщане в бъдещето
- Tilbake til fremtiden
- בחזרה לעתיד
- Tagasi tulevikku
- Povratak u budućnost
- Înapoi în viitor
- Назад у майбутнє
- 回到未來
- Atgal į ateitį
- เจาะเวลาหาอดีต
- Atpakaļ nākotnē
- Kelajakka qaytib
- Retorn al futur
- Nazaj v prihodnost
- Trở Về Tương Lai
- العودة إلى المستقبل
- बॅक टू द फ्यूचर
- بازگشت به آینده, უკან მომავალში
Seen Back to the Future?
Movies Like Back to the Future
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Back to the Future Part II, Back to the Future Part III and Time Traveller.
Back to the Future FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Back to the Future, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Back to the Future?
Back to the Future runs 1 hour 56 minutes (116 minutes).
When was Back to the Future released?
Back to the Future was released on July 3, 1985.
Who directed Back to the Future?
Back to the Future was directed by Robert Zemeckis.
More films by Robert Zemeckis Who is in the cast of Back to the Future?
Back to the Future stars Christopher Lloyd and Michael J. Fox.
How much did Back to the Future make at the box office?
Back to the Future grossed $385.1 million worldwide ($214.6 million domestic, $170.5 million international) on a budget of $19 million.
How is Back to the Future rated?
Back to the Future has 87 on Metacritic and 83% on TMDB.
What awards did Back to the Future win?
Back to the Future won 2 awards from 20 nominations, including Best Actor at the Saturn Awards 1986.
Does Back to the Future have a post-credit scene?
No. Back to the Future has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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