Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
UK EditionUK US EditionUS CA EditionCanada AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Total Film
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsarama
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Pokemon Legends Z-A
  • Golden Joystick Awards 2025
  • New Games for 2025
Don't miss these
Lego Doc and Marty minifigures standing on a blue surface in front of the DeLorean car kit
Toys & Collectibles New Lego Back to the Future set is so much more affordable than I'd expected
The 30 best sci-fi movies of all time: pictures of Alien, Arrival, Terminator, Brazil and 2001.
Sci-Fi Movies The 30 best sci-fi movies of all time
Reed and Sue in the Fantastic Four movie
Marvel Movies Marvel reveals The Fantastic Four: First Steps deleted scenes that you'll soon be able to watch at home, including Thanksgiving and birthday moments
Fantastic Four First Steps ending
Marvel Movies Fantastic Four gag reel shows a whole new side to Marvel's First Family: "How do you say 'Oh f*ck' in Marvel land?"
Yu Shu Lien from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Movies The 32 greatest action films ever made
Okja
Sci-Fi Movies The 10 best sci-fi movies on Netflix to watch right now
David Harbour as Jim Hopper and Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in Stranger Things 5: Volume 1.
Streaming Services New on Netflix in November 2025: all the latest movies and shows streaming this month
Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing and Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer
Marvel Movies Release the Shakman Cut? Fantastic Four director shoots down hopes of a director's cut because of the amount of "unfinished" VFX in deleted scenes
Keir Dullea in 2001: A Space Odyssey
Movies The 32 greatest sci-fi movie quotes
Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker
Movies Fans are debating the best trailers of all time: "May even be better than the film itself"
Sci-Fi Shows The best Star Trek episodes every Trekkie should watch
Mando and Baby Yoda in The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer
Star Wars Movies The Mandalorian and Grogu trailer breakdown: Zeb, Anzellans, and 8 other Star Wars Easter eggs and details you might have missed
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards/Mister Fantastic in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Marvel Movies New Fantastic Four: First Steps concept art gives us a better look at that deleted Super-Apes scene, and more of Reed Richards’ stretchy powers
Best alien movies of all time: Sigourney Weaver as Ripley wearing a spacesuit in the film, Alien.
Sci-Fi Movies The 10 best alien movies of all time
Timothee Chalamet as Paul in Dune: Part Two
Movies The 15 best movies on HBO Max to watch right now
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

10 incredible never-before-seen Back to the Future extras

Features
By Lauren O'Callaghan published 21 October 2015

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Great Scott!

Great Scott!

Happy Back to the Future day! Yes, October 21 2015 is the date Marty and Doc land in the future and no matter what the 1989 sequel got right (or wrong) about the future, it's still one of the most popular movies of all time.

We're celebrating the momentous movie occasion with some exclusive extras from the franchise, including behind-the-scenes set images, original concept art and never-before-seen shots of Michael J. Fox filming *that* hoverboard scene! What are you waiting for? This is what made the films so incredible...

Back to the Future: The Ultimate Visual History is out now from Titan Books.

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
This is heavy

This is heavy

You might recognise this scene from the first Back To The Future film. Marty thinks all his troubles are over, only for Doc to appear and tell him his future is in jeopardy. It's the final scene in the movie, which sets up the sequel where Doc and Marty travel to 2015, and here's the crew filming it in Arleta, California, with Michael J. Fox and Claudia Wells.

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Best chase scene of all time

Best chase scene of all time

The tunnel chase scene, which sees Marty use his borrowed hoverboard to get back the Almanac from Biff, was the first-ever CGI shot for visual effects company, Industrial Light and Magic. Zemeckis digital removed the pipe attached from the shooting rig to the hoverboard, and then had Michael J. Fox use harnesses, flying rigs, dollies, and even a real skateboard to shoot the scene again and again, in a myriad of different ways, just to prevent the audience from figuring out how the effects were achieved. Now that's commitment!

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
Are you telling me that you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?

Are you telling me that you built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?

Here's some early concept art for the reappearance of the DeLorean after a time jump. Animator Wes Takahashi said Bob Gale told him, I want it to be extremely violent, something akin to a Neanderthal siting on the hood of the car, chipping away at the fabric of time in front of him. Mission accomplished!

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
YOU'RE FIRED!!!

YOU'RE FIRED!!!

Here's Joanna Johnstons design for old Martys look, including the now iconic double tie. When are we getting those, again? The tie was the least arduous part of getting into character, with Michael J. Fox saying of prosthetic makeup, The thing that people dont understand about it and with the event of CG, it might be different now but they put it on with airplane glue and took it off with gasoline, and it used to ravage my face.

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
I need to borrow your... hoverboard?

I need to borrow your... hoverboard?

Over the course of two years, Industrial Light and Magics John Bell designed a variety of hoverboards for Marty, Griff and Griffs gang. All he was told was the term hoverboard, and asked to sketch whatever came to mind.

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.

Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.

This on-set snap shows how the flying cars were filming for Back to the Future II. Basically, just pick up the car with a forklift and hang on!

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Self-lacing shoes? Yes, please

Self-lacing shoes? Yes, please

This is one invention that's soon to become a reality with Nike announcing the release of Marty's futuristic footwear later this year. Think of how much time you'll save not have to tie your trainers every morning? This is the initial concept art for the self-lacing shoe by designer Tinker Hatfield.

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
When this baby hits 88 miles per hour...

When this baby hits 88 miles per hour...

The explosive scenes where the DeLorean travels through time were based on this original concept art. Did you know that there are actually only 32 optical special effects shots in the entire movie? Still looks pretty good, right?

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
You've come here from a great distance

You've come here from a great distance

Check out Michael Scheffes design sketches for Doc Browns brain-wave analyser. There's also pictures of the final prop used in the film, when Marty tries to tell Doc he's come from the future, but Doc insists on attempting to read his mind instead. Spoiler, it doesn't work.

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Tales From Space!

Tales From Space!

This the cover of Sherman Peabody's comic book (designed by Andrew Probert), which he used to identify Marty as an alien when he crashed into his family's barn. Like he said, Marty had already mutated into human form by the time his dad got his shotgun so, there wasn't much they could do about it.

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
Lauren O'Callaghan
Lauren O'Callaghan
Social Links Navigation

Lauren O'Callaghan is the former Entertainment Editor of GamesRadar+. You'd typically find Lauren writing features and reviews about the latest and greatest in pop culture and entertainment, and assisting the teams at Total Film and SFX to bring their excellent content onto GamesRadar+. Lauren is now the digital marketing manager at the National Trust.

See more Movies Features
Read more
Lego Doc and Marty minifigures standing on a blue surface in front of the DeLorean car kit
New Lego Back to the Future set is so much more affordable than I'd expected
 
 
The 30 best sci-fi movies of all time: pictures of Alien, Arrival, Terminator, Brazil and 2001.
The 30 best sci-fi movies of all time
 
 
Reed and Sue in the Fantastic Four movie
Marvel reveals The Fantastic Four: First Steps deleted scenes that you'll soon be able to watch at home, including Thanksgiving and birthday moments
 
 
Fantastic Four First Steps ending
Fantastic Four gag reel shows a whole new side to Marvel's First Family: "How do you say 'Oh f*ck' in Marvel land?"
 
 
Yu Shu Lien from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The 32 greatest action films ever made
 
 
Okja
The 10 best sci-fi movies on Netflix to watch right now
 
 
Latest in Movies
Hocus Pocus
Original Hocus Pocus star is open to return for Hocus Pocus 3: "I’d like to know what they land on for how Dani wound up."
 
 
Erica Slaughter wearing her mask in Something is Killing the Children
Blumhouse bag big deal to adapt Something is Killing the Children comic series
 
 
Jennifer's Body
16 years after the release of cult classic horror Jennifer's Body, the "fun and crazy" potential sequel gets an update
 
 
WandaVision
Despite seemingly dying in Multiverse of Madness, Elizabeth Olsen wants to return as Scarlet Witch in the MCU: "I'd jump at the opportunity to be in her shoes again"
 
 
Amazing Spider-Man #39 art
Spider-Man 4 may be drawing directly on one of Marvel's most recent comic events that brings in Daredevil, Luke Cage, She-Hulk, Shang-Chi, Tombstone, and many more
 
 
Chainsaw Man
Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man has convinced me that anime can never return to the bad old days of non-canon movies
 
 
Latest in Features
Halo: Campaign Evolved screenshot
Halo: Campaign Evolved hands-on: Is this Unreal Engine 5 remake a bizzaro world Combat Evolved or an "opportunity to pave the way for the future of Halo"?
 
 
Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine miniatures laid out on a wooden table
I'm not an Ultramarines fan, but these new Warhammer 40K models are enough to make even me reconsider
 
 
Spooky Express screenshot showing a small skeleton shaped train carrying a vampire passenger past a scared human
Spooky Express is an adorable puzzle game that has me mapping out tracks in Trainsylvania to help undead passengers, and it's perfect for Halloween
 
 
A Pokemon trainer posing for a photo in front of Lumiose City's tower in Pokemon Legends Z-A
Pokemon Legends: Z-A makes the world feel livelier than ever before, but it's not because of Lumiose's design
 
 
Mel staring head-on with one red eye in Hades 2
I spent 507 days obsessed with playing Hades 2, so I'm revisiting the first roguelike to decide which is my actual favorite
 
 
Jazz Sinclair as Marie Moreau in Gen V season 2
Gen V season 3: Everything we know so far about the third season of The Boys spin-off
 
 
  1. Iliad box, tokens, and components laid out on a white surface
    1
    It’s hard to imagine there are many gamers who won’t enjoy this quick but tactical board game for 2 players
  2. 2
    The Outer Worlds 2 review: "The Fallout New Vegas creators have crafted a masterful space age RPG that's willing to play game master to my silliest decisions"
  3. 3
    Once Upon a Katamari review: "Time traveling cowboy adventures, ninja thievery, pirate battles, and more make this the most inventive evolution of the series yet"
  4. 4
    Jurassic World Evolution 3 review: "Far from a fossil, this park builder is one you'll keep coming back to, despite its flaws"
  5. 5
    Ninja Gaiden 4 review: "Thrilling action and deep blood powers make this the series' best and a stunning return to form"
  1. Chainsaw Man
    1
    Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc review "Storytelling just as compelling as the chainsaws, devils, and visually excessive fight scenes"
  2. 2
    Tron: Ares review: "Misses out by swapping the Grid for the real world"
  3. 3
    One Battle After Another review: "One of the best studio movies in years and an instant classic"
  4. 4
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  5. 5
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  1. Some of the young cast of IT: Welcome to Derry, including Phil (Jack Molloy Legault), Lilly (Clara Stack), and Teddy (Mikkal Karim-Fidler).
    1
    IT: Welcome to Derry review: "A supremely confident step back into the history of Stephen King's cursed town and killer clown"
  2. 2
    Splinter Cell: Deathwatch review: "A pale imitation of the long-dormant stealth franchise"
  3. 3
    Marvel Zombies review: "A fun expansion of the What If episode with delightful MCU Easter eggs and truly gross R-rated kills"
  4. 4
    Gen V season 2 review: "As strong as the first season, if not stronger"
  5. 5
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...