When a movie becomes a box office success, it’s natural for Hollywood to demand a sequel. If the followup is even close to as good as the original, well, then you have to go for the trilogy, right? It’s rare, though, to have atrilogy where everything comes togetherin each film. The original Star Wars trilogy,Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films, andChristopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trifecta come to mind. For this writer’s money, nothing beatsRobert Zemeckis' threeBack to the Futuremovies. There are plenty of reasons to love them, from the chemistry betweenMichael J. FoxandChristopher Lloyd, to theirexciting time travel adventures, and that cool-looking DeLorean. The DeLorean, however, isn’t the only sweet ride in the trilogy.Marty McFly also has a dream car, a black Toyota SR5 pick-up truck,which he eventually gets his hands on. But you won’t believe what happened to it after filming ended.
Back to the Future
Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown.
‘Back to the Future’s DeLorean Is One of Coolest Movie Cars
It’s hard to believe it now, but Robert Zemeckis and his co-writer,Bob Gale, had a hard time getting their script forBack to the Futuresold.Disney even turned downBack to the Futurebecause they were uncomfortable with the incestuous plot of a mother falling in love with her son. WhenBack to the Futurewas finally made by Universal Pictures, that plot line remained, but what changed from page to screen was the time traveling device at the center of the adventure. In the original script, thetime machine was boringand resembled a refrigerator. Turning the time trael device into a sports car madeBack to the Futuremore alive and not just another hokey sci-fi time travel movie.The DeLorean might have been a star on par with Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, but it wasn’t the only cool car.
Marty McFly Has a Toyota Pickup Truck in the Back to the Future Trilogy
In the firstBack to the Future, Marty issitting outside with his girlfriend, Jennifer (Claudia Wells), when he sees a brand new, sleek, black Toyota SR5 pickup truck go by on the bed of another truck. Marty watches in awe, and he swears to Jennifer he’s going to have that truck one day and take her to the lake in it. This is one of the first examples of showing that Marty, unlike the rest of his family, is a dreamer who goes after his goals. At the end ofBack to the Future, Marty arrives in his new 1985,where his family are now accomplished people, only to discover that he now has that Toyota truck parked in the garage. He is stunned. The future really is different after all.
The Truck From ‘Back to the Future Part III’ Took a Dark Turn
There have been many famous cars in film and TV history, but we don’t always know where they end up once filming stops. Sometimes they do have a story to tell, but it’s a sad one. For the 80s action TV seriesAirwolf, the famed helicopter became a medical chopper when production ended,only to tragically crash during one heroic flight and kill everyone on board.
Robert Zemeckis Wanted Ronald Reagan To Be in ‘Back to the Future Part III’
This U.S. President was nearly demoted to the Mayor of Hill Valley for this Western sci-fi comedy.
Reportedly, the firstBack to the FutureToyota truck was destroyed after filming. A new one was created for scenes inBack to the Future Part II, and was later given away as a prize, only to later be destroyed as well. That leaves the truck fromBack to the Future Part III, most notably seen at the very end when Marty returns from 1985 and takes Jennifer for a ride in it.He’s egged on to race a gang in another truck, but decides against it, altering his future. In his original timeline, he would crash this truck, sending his later years into a spiral.Back to the Future Part IIIhas a few wild behind-the-scenes stories, including howMichael J. Fox almost died for real during a stunt, but the story of where the truck ended up is just as mind-boggling.
The truck fromBack to the Future Part IIIwas tracked down byChristopher RutkowskifortheAFICONATOYouTube channel. Rutkowski isa director and producerwhose YouTube channel tracks down film’s most famous automobiles. He found the truck with father and sonBack to the Futurefanatics and collectors Bill and Patrick Shea, who have restored the Toyota to its original look. It took some doing for all of this to happen becausethat truck had gone on a wild ride as the ride for a Mexican drug cartel. “The truck was stolen and ended up in Mexico,” says Bill. “What are the chances that you are gonna have a vehicle stolen, it’s gonna end up in Mexico, part of a drug cartel, and then you’re gonna get it back? Well, it must be meant to be, because he actually got the truck back.”
TheBack to the Future Part IIItruck is now in such pristine shape it looks like it just rolled off the lot in 1985. It had a wild story to tell, one that could have made for an interesting plot for aBack to the Future Part IV, where Marty enlists Doc Brown to help him go back in time and rescue his dream car from drug dealers. If only.
Back to the Future Part IIIis available to watch on Netflix in the U.S.
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