Preview: BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL

Back to the Future: The Musical

“Great Scott!” exclaims Christopher Lloyd as he takes the stage in front of Manchester’s assembled press. “Extraordinary. I feel like I’m at a very momentous occasion.”

He’s been flown across the Atlantic to give his blessing to Back to the Future: The Musical, a forthcoming stage adaptation of the beloved 1985 movie, which will premiere in Manchester Opera House in February before moving on to London’s West End and eventually Broadway, China and Brazil.

The musical is scripted by Bob Gale, producer and co-writer of the film and its two sequels, who is keen to emphasise this is the official continuation of the series: “Lots of people ask, is there ever going to be a Back to the Future Part IV? No. No Part IV, no reboot. Instead, we’re doing this. So people can get more Back to the Future, but we’re not gonna screw up your childhood.”

Back to the Future: The Musical - Olly Dobson as Marty McFly

That doesn’t mean it’s a slavish adaptation of the movie; car and skateboard chases are difficult to pull off on stage, so instead we’ll have musical numbers, and the cast treat us to a preview of some songs. Olly Dobson (whose previous theatre credits include Bat out of Hell and The Selfish Giant) has the rock ‘n’ roller charm necessary to pull off the role of Marty McFly, while Roger Bart (who STARBURST readers will know from A Series of Unfortunate Events and Hostel: Part II) brings all the required eccentricity to the role of Doc Brown.

The musical also promises to dig deeper into side characters; Rosanna Hyland impresses as Lorraine Baines in her solo piece, and there’s a fantastic feel-good song called Gotta Start Somewhere from Cedric Neal as mayoral hopeful Goldie Wilson. Of course, all the classics are here too – our preview ends with a rousing rendition of The Power of Love.

The full show will complement these numbers with state-of-the-art effects, producer Colin Ingram promises, adding “when Marty time travels, you’ll feel it.” If the thrill of the DeLorean reaching 88mph is captured as well as Ingram promises, we’re in for something special come February.

After the show, STARBURST sits down with Olly Dobson, whose energy and excitement for becoming the new Marty is infectious – he deems it “an absolute dream come true” – and the two Docs, Bart and Lloyd.

On what makes the story so beloved, Dobson enthuses: “It’s batshit mad, isn’t it? It’s a crazy show. The essence of your mum wanting to be in love with you, that’s a great story to go on.” Bart is similarly praising: “The movie continues, with all the generations that watch it, to capture our imaginations. The idea that you’re able to travel through time, to go into the past, the future, meet your parents. And the idea that in one moment you could change the total direction of your life.”

We have to ask Lloyd about his memories of making the films. He almost didn’t take the role: “My agent sent me the script, but I’d made up my mind I wanted to go back to New York rather than stay in LA – I didn’t feel that things were going that well. I didn’t even read it.” But after meeting with Zemeckis, history was put back on the right path, and Lloyd fondly recalls working with the director: “Oh, he was great. He knows what to do, he knows how to talk to actors, and he knows the technology of films like the back of his hand.”

Back to the Future: The Musical - Roger Bart as Doc Brown

How is Bart approaching taking over from Lloyd in this iconic role? “My performance honours the movie and Chris’s choices, because the most perfect performance you could have given is his. But you try to make it your own. I don’t want people coming out of the show and saying “you sound so much like Chris” – as lovely as that is, you gotta love it and let it go.” Lloyd pipes in to express how he’s thrilled to pass on the baton: “It feels very good. I’m really happy about it. It feels right, like it’s moving on organically.”

Finally, we have to ask the stars their thoughts on the show premiering in STARBURST’s home city, to which Dobson replies: “If you want to show something new to someone, what better place to do it than Manchester? You guys are so welcoming, you love a rock ‘n’ roll concert and we’re gonna be giving you some hella rock ‘n’ roll.”

Back to the Future: The Musical will premiere at Manchester Opera House for a twelve-week run beginning Thursday 20th February 2020, before moving to London’s West End. Tickets are available now.

An extended version of this article, including our full interviews with Olly Dobson, Roger Bart, and Christopher Lloyd, will appear in a future issue of STARBURST Magazine.

Willem Dafoe Joins del Toro’s NIGHTMARE ALLEY

Willem Dafoe

With anticipation high for Guillermo del Toro’s take on Nightmare Alley, the project has now brought in Willem Dafoe.

Via Variety, the genre fave – who most recently starred alongside Robert Pattinson in The Lighthouse – will play a high-up figure of a travelling carnival who gives Bradley Cooper’s character a job.

In addition to Cooper on headlining duties, Dafoe joins a Nightmare Alley cast that includes Toni Collette, Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara.

Written by del Toro and Kim Morgan, Nightmare Alley will be del Toro’s take on William Lindsay Graham’s 1946 novel of the same name. The source material – not to mention the 1947 movie adaptation – centres on a conman who teams with a female psychiatrist to trick some poor saps out of their money.

As ever, expect more on del Toro’s Nightmare Alley as it continues to develop.

CBS’ Take on THE STAND Adds Heather Graham

Heather Graham

As CBS’ upcoming take on Stephen King’s The Stand continues to yet even more new faces to its ranks, now comes word that Heather Graham has joined the series.

Via Deadline, the Boogie Nights actress has signed on to play Rita Blakemoor in the show. That character is pegged as “a wealthy woman who is ill prepared for the end of the world and attempts to escape superflu-infested New York City.”

Graham joins a huge ensemble cast that includes the likes of James Marsden, Amber Heard, Alexander Skarsgard, Greg Kinnear, Nat Wolff, and Whoopi Goldberg.

The early word on this latest adaptation of The Stand reads:

The series will bring to life King’s vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.

The Fault in Our Stars’ Josh Boone and SEAL Team’s Ben Cavell are on writing duties for the ten-episode take on King’s 1978 novel.

The Stand, of course, was previously given the TV treatment back in 1994. Then, Mick Garris helmed a miniseries that clocked in at just over the six-hour mark in total, with names such as Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, Miguel Ferrer, and Ossie Davis starring.

For those not familiar with the written world of The Stand, the loose plot centres on a decimated post-apocalyptic world in which a deadly plague has wiped out a huge chunk of the population. Two rival groups form, with the vastly differing views of the leaders of these groups putting both sides on a collision course as good battles evil.

Production on The Stand is currently underway in Vancouver, with the show to land on CBS All Access next year.

Oscar-Nommed ROGUE ONE Writer Joins CASSIAN ANDOR

Tony Gilroy

It may have been a tad quiet recently on Disney’s live-action Cassian Andor series, but now comes word that the show has recruited an Oscar-nommed filmmaker to its creative team.

Courtesy of Variety, Tony Gilroy has joined Cassian Andor in a creative capacity that will see him write the series’ pilot episode and also direct several episodes. Not only did Gilroy received Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay back in 2007 for Michael Clayton, he’s also got ties to the Star Wars universe due to having co-wrote Rogue One – as in, the film which introduced Gabriel Luna’s Cassian Andor to the world.

For Cassian Andor, Luna will be back as the title character of the series, and he’ll be joined by Alan Tudyk reprising the K-2SO role he took on in Rogue One. The show itself will obviously take place before the happenings of that 2016 film.

At this point in time, Cassian Andor has yet to be given a premiere date, although we know that the series will be housed on the Disney+ streaming service and that more concrete information is expected to be released once The Mandalorian finishes its first season.

Amazon’s LORD OF THE RINGS Series Adds Maxim Baldry

Maxim Baldry

As Amazon continues to flesh out the core cast of its hotly anticipated Lord of the Rings series, the show has moved to add Maxim Baldry to its ranks.

Via Collider, Baldy has joined Lord of the Rings in a mystery role. The actor is likely best known for the likes of Years and Years, Rome and, err, Hollyoaks, and he joins a cast that currently features Markella Kavenagh and Will Poulter. While Baldry’s role in the series is being kept under wraps right now, it’s believed to be a significant character.

Right now, details are being kept extremely secret about Lord of the Rings, with the only slight bit of detail out there being the tease of the show taking placing during the Second Age when the Rings of Power were created – as in, before The Fellowship of the Ring and the main Lord of the Rings trilogy that we’re all so familiar with.

Expect more on Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series as it continues to develop.

Neil Patrick Harris Joins THE MATRIX 4

Neil Patrick Harris

With things continuing to take shape for a fourth Matrix movie, now comes word on a new addition for the film.

Courtesy of Variety, Neil Patrick Harris has joined the movie in a hush-hush role. Harris, of course, is best known for his awards-filled turn as Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, in addition to the likes of A Series of Unfortunate Events, Gone Girl and Starship Troopers.

Harris joins a Matrix movie that sees the returns of Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, and only last week added Aquaman’s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. The original trilogy’s Lana Wachowski is back to direct what’s currently being titled simply The Matrix 4.

VENOM 2 to Feature Shriek

Carnage

With Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock set to go up against Woody Harrelson’s Carnage in next year’s Venom 2, now comes word on another villain who Brock will be butting heads with.

Courtesy of Deadline, Venom 2 will also feature the nefarious Shriek as a second villain for Venom to tackle. The character has yet to be cast, mind, but Shriek is now a part of the sequel’s screenplay.

For those not too familiar with Shriek, the character’s real name is Frances Barrison and she has at times been a love interest of Carnage’s. In terms of abilities, Shriek is a mutant who specialises in conjuring up sonic blasts. And, y’know, given that symbiotes are vulnerable to sonics, that could provide quite the problem for Venom.

To be directed by Andy Serkis, Venom 2 is currently pegged for an October 2020 release.

Samara Weaving Joins SNAKE EYES as Scarlett

Samara Weaving

As Paramount’s Snake Eyes continues to amass its core cast, the G.I. Joe spin-off has added Samara Weaving to its cast.

Courtesy of Deadline, the Ready or Not star has signed on to play Scarlett in the picture. That character is a longtime BFF of Snake Eyes’ and is one of the famed Joes, and she was previously played by Rachel Nichols in 2009’s G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.

Weaving joins a cast that currently includes Crazy Rich Asians’ Henry Golding as the titular Snake Eyes, Warrior’s Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow, La Casa De Papel’s Ursula Corbero as the Baroness, and The Raid’s Iko Uwais as the Hard Master.

To be directed by Robert Schwentke, Snake Eyes is currently pegged for an October 2020 release.

Zoe Kravitz is THE BATMAN’s Catwoman

Catwoman Zoe Kravitz

With Matt Reeves’ The Batman having been on the prowl for a slew of villains to go up against Robert Pattinson’s Caped Crusader, the movie has now found its Catwoman.

Courtesy of Deadline, Zoe Kravitz has landed the role of Selina Kyle in the film. Kravitz is no stranger to the world of superheroes, of course, for she played Angel Salvadore in X-Men: First Class and more recently voiced Mary Jane Watson in the stunning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and actually lent her vocals to The LEGO Batman Movie as, you guessed it, Catwoman.

Kravitz follows in the footsteps of Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, Eartha Kitt, Michelle Pfeiffer, Anne Hathaway, and Camren Bicondova in playing a live-action take on the Catwoman character. And yes, we’re purposely ignoring Halle Berry, because… well, just because…

While Robert Pattison and Zoe Kravitz are the only confirmed cast members for The Batman, Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright is lined up to play Jim Gordon and Jonah Hill is in advanced talks to play either Riddler or Penguin.

Due to start production in January, The Batman is currently pegged for a June 2021 release.

Three More Names Join CBS’ THE STAND

Katherine McNamara Mia Smoak Arrow

As CBS continues to amass the cast of its upcoming take on Stephen King’s The Stand, now comes word that the series has brought in three more faces.

Via Deadline, Once Upon a Time’s Eion Bailey, Arrow’s Katherine McNamara and Legion’s Hamish Linklater have joined The Stand. Bailey will be playing Teddy Weizak, McNamara is Julie Lawry, and Linklater is Dr Ellis.

The trio join a cast the includes the likes of Alexander Skarsgard, Whoopi Goldberg, James Marsden, Amber Heard, Odessa Young and Henry Zaga.

The early word on this latest adaptation of The Stand reads:

The series will bring to life King’s vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.

The Fault in Our Stars’ Josh Boone and SEAL Team’s Ben Cavell are on writing duties for the ten-episode take on King’s 1978 novel.

The Stand, of course, was previously given the TV treatment back in 1994. Then, Mick Garris helmed a miniseries that clocked in at just over the six-hour mark in total, with names such as Gary Sinise, Molly Ringwald, Rob Lowe, Miguel Ferrer, and Ossie Davis starring.

For those not familiar with the written world of The Stand, the loose plot centres on a decimated post-apocalyptic world in which a deadly plague has wiped out a huge chunk of the population. Two rival groups form, with the vastly differing views of the leaders of these groups putting both sides on a collision course as good battles evil.

Production on The Stand is currently underway in Vancouver, with the show to land on CBS All Access next year.