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©1995-99, To Be Continued...
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July 02, 1999
Writing/producing team now assembling for “BTTF4/5”
The latest news on exactly who is involved with the new sequels
It's been a few weeks since we've had some new details on the progress of the two new sequels, but things are progessing along much more rapidly than I really expected them to, especially since the project has yet to be officially announced by Universal & Amblin. Meanwhile on the eve of the series' 14th Anniversary, we've uncovered the following details on the ultra top-secret BTTF4/5 project as it currently stands:
First of all, word is now that the previously reported screenwriter Charles S. Haas is no longer attached to the project. Script writing duties have now been turned over to writer/producer Ted Elliott, who has an overall writing and producing deal at DreamWorks, and was a writer for the upcoming films The Road to El Dorado and Shrek for the studio. He was also a writer on several recent hit films, including Men in Black (uncredited), Godzilla, Small Soldiers, and The Mask of Zorro. Along with his long-time writing partner Terry Rossio, he will apparently be a writer on the film Instant Karma, which will be produced by Robert Zemeckis. He was also one of the writers for Princess of Mars, along with Bob Gale, which is still in development. You can learn more about Ted Elliott on his official website, www.wordplayer.com.
I'm told that Elliott hasn't been officially signed to the project yet (i.e. he hasn't been commissioned, but does have some type of contract), but is at this moment writing the script for Back to the Future 4. He has been brought in to expand the treatments into provisional screenplays, but rumor has it that he's not sticking very closely to Ed Solomon's script treatments though. The script will be handed in most likely towards the end of the summer, and the script for Back to the Future 5 I'm assuming will follow shortly thereafter in early-to-mid fall.
Ed Solomon, for all practical purposes at this point, is now disengaged from the project since he turned in his treatments for the two new films. Should his treatments be followed for the new films, he'll receive a story credit in the final print, which is expected to be the extent of his involvement. However, I'm advised that the films' end results are expected to bear very little resemblance to the treatments that have recently made the rounds through the Hollywood circuit, so whether we'll see his name in the credits remains to be seen. Total Film had reported that Solomon would also serve as an Executive Producer, but that doesn't seem very likely at this point.
So who exactly is involved in these two new films? At this time, it is still doubtful that Zemeckis & Gale will be involved in any capacity other than overseeing their creation's continued development. They both signed waivers years ago that additional sequels and continuations could be made without their involvement, but with a stipulation that they can object to anything they don't like and apparently step in and make any corrections they deem necessary. They're obviously both aware of the plans for the new films, and from what I've gathered, will serve in a capacity defined somewhere between "Creative Consultants" and "Executive Producers". Robert Zemeckis' involvement is not expected to be anything beyond that at this time, but there is a slight possibility that Bob Gale's role may be expanded depending upon his interest (possibly directing??).
Other names I've heard mentioned for involvement are Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, apparently as Executive Producers once again. Kennedy has been very active in the project to date, as the treatments made their way to her desk, from what I've been told. Marshall, who also served as 2nd Unit Director in the first film, is just assumed to be involved at this point since the couple are business partners as well as husband & wife.
No word yet as to Steven Spielberg's rumored involvement, but I think if Kennedy is involved, Spielberg's a given. Total Film reported that he would Executive Produce, but we'll just have to wait & see. Of course, they also reported that Sarah Michelle Gellar would be Doc's assistant in setting the 1947 Roswell incident straight, so we're not sure where they're coming up with their material since we now know the Gellar/Roswell bits are no longer the case.
At this point, I have no knowledge of cast members involved nor if any of the cast have even been contacted about the films yet. However, it's assumed that Christopher Lloyd and Mary Steenburgen will return since we know the treatments primarily revolve around their characters. Whether there is any truth to the rumor that Michael J. Fox will have a cameo appearance in one or both films is still yet to be determined and probably way too early in the game for even anyone connected to the project to know for sure. Hopefully, story plotlines and details will be forthcoming soon, but for now, we'll have to be content with knowing that it's all in the works. Stay tuned...
Follow-up on the BTTF CD-ROM / N64 games
Not a lot of information yet on the BTTF games which are planned, but I'm assured that they are definitely in development. The CD-ROM game is being developed by the same people responsible for a game called The X-Files: Unrestricted Access — Byron Preiss Multimedia. I'm told the game at this point is simply known as the Back to the Future Trilogy CD-ROM, and that it is being licensed by Amblin Entertainment. I understand that Acclaim Entertainment, Inc. is being contracted to do the game console version, but at this time, it's unknown whether it will be for N64 or Playstation.
Project updates
UNTITLED ZEMECKIS PROJECT:
Buried deep within a recent report on Variety's website, we learn that Bill Wisher, a writer for the long delayed Warner Bros. new Superman film, will begin writing that film "as soon as he completes a top-secret assignment for director Robert Zemeckis and ImageMovers at DreamWorks." I don't have a clue as to what this film is yet, but I'll be doing some research to see if I can find a project link in my databases between Zemeckis & Wisher.
THE MAN WHO ROBBED THE PIERRE:
Yet another project for Robert Zemeckis! When does this guy ever find time to sleep?! Zemeckis will Executive Produce this film along with Steve Starkey for ImageMovers. The cast includes John Cusack (who also wrote and will produce the film) and Woody Allen. It's the true story of two ace burglers whose criminal careers were topped by their famous 1972 New Year's Day robbery of New York's Pierre Hotel where they walked off with more than $10 million in cash & jewelry, only to eventually be caught by the feds due to their own internal feuding. The film is now in development at DreamWorks.
WHAT LIES BENEATH:
A scooper to the Corona's Coming Attractions website recently reported that the lakehouse in DAR State Park in Addison, Vermont will be constructed and dismantled by the film crew that will number 120 people. Apparently though, the bulk of the interior scenes will be shot on a sound stage, as the scooper reports that the house will be used primarily for external shots of Michelle Pfeiffer walking from her car to the house.
— Stephen Clark
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