The Oscar-winning director lamented that after he died, Hollywood probably would seek to remake Back to the Future, but to reiterate his opposition he hoped there would be someway of stopping it: "And then [when I'm dead] I’m sure they’ll do it, unless there’s a way our estates can stop it."

Zemeckis told the Telegraph that his and Gale's original contracts with Universal and Steven Spielberg's production company Amblin Entertainment outlined how the two would have final say on any future Back to the Future or related films for as long as both were alive.

The Polar Express director outlined his reasons for why he was so dead set against a remake, saying: “I mean, to me, that’s outrageous. Especially since it’s a good movie. It’s like saying, ‘Let’s remake Citizen Kane. Who are we going to get to play Kane?’ What folly, what insanity is that? Why would anyone do that?”

Gale has echoed Zemeckis' views in the past, saying there will be no Back to the Future IV without Michael J. Fox, who has largely retired from acting due to Parkinson's disease.