Back To The Future Sequels Missed Core Message, Says Tom Wilson

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As a huge fan of Back to the Future, I found Tom Wilson’s take on the sequels really interesting. He played the iconic Biff Tannen, and he believes the later films missed what made the first one so special. He feels they didn’t quite grasp the heart of the original story, even though he continued to play different versions of the Tannen family throughout them.

In an interview on the Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum podcast, Wilson shared that he believes George McFly was actually more central to the first Back to the Future film than Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox). He also expressed understanding of Danny Glover’s decision not to return for the sequels, and felt the later films weren’t as strong without him.

Wilson takes this idea further, explaining that the movie is primarily about self-defense, shown when George McFly defends Lorraine Baines (Lea Thompson) from Biff. He argues this is the core message, rather than simply Marty’s efforts to return to his own time. You can find his full thoughts below.

I agree with Crispin’s opinions on the films; he makes some good points. He was disappointed with certain aspects and ultimately chose not to participate in the sequels. I believe the sequels suffered significantly from his absence, as he was a central figure. While Back to the Future is a great movie with fantastic performances from Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, and Lea Thompson, I don’t think the core of the story is simply about getting the character back to the future.

At its heart, the movie is about someone finally saying enough is enough – like telling someone to leave another person alone. It’s about finding the courage to stand up for yourself and refusing to let something bad happen. That moment, when the character physically stops the bully, is the turning point. From there, it becomes a classic Hollywood story with a dramatic chase and big changes in the character’s personal life, complete with a fantastical element like lightning. It’s a really enjoyable ride, but the central message is all about the importance of self-respect and standing your ground.

I’ve always been fascinated by why Michael J. Fox didn’t come back for more Back to the Future films. For years, people thought it was just about money, a disagreement over his contract. But I recently learned he actually didn’t like how the story ended! He felt uncomfortable with the idea that the McFly family’s good fortune ultimately came from Doc Brown giving Marty the sports almanac – basically, that their happiness was built on a windfall of money, and he didn’t want to send that message.

Wilson believes the later Back to the Future movies strayed from the first film’s message of self-reliance, focusing instead on the exciting time-traveling escapades of Marty and Doc Brown. These adventures took them to locations like the Wild West (1885), 1955, a grim alternate 1985, and the year 2015.

Although Glover didn’t return for the sequels, his character still appeared. They used an actor named Jeffrey Weissman to play George McFly, combining prosthetics with footage of Glover from the original film. However, George’s role was much smaller in the later Back to the Future movies.

Danny Glover sued Universal Pictures for using his image and old footage without his permission and without paying him. The case was settled out of court for a reported $760,000. As a result, the Screen Actors Guild updated its rules to better protect actors from having their likenesses used without consent in the future.

Most people consider the first Back to the Future movie the strongest, though the sequels are still enjoyed by many. That’s why Robert Zemeckis’s opinion that the later films were significantly flawed isn’t widely shared, even though he explains his reasoning.

Most fans, along with Wilson, agree that the moment George McFly finally stands up to Biff and punches him is one of the most memorable scenes in the entire Back to the Future trilogy.

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2026-01-22 01:01