Back to the Future remains a staple of 1980s cinema. Its story about time travel and teenage life in Hill Valley is something many of us have revisited on screen countless times over the decades.
This quiz looks at the production details, the original casting, and the iconic technology behind the DeLorean. You will see questions about the changes made during filming and the film’s specific predictions for 2015.
If you enjoy this, check out our stunts and action choreography, sci-fi and fantasy films, and most quoted lines trivia.
What was the time machine originally intended to be in the first draft of the Back to the Future script?
A modified train
A modified train
A futuristic minivan
A futuristic minivan
A refrigerator
A refrigerator
A helicopter
A helicopter
Which real-world vehicle model was chosen to serve as the time machine in the final film?
The Mustang Mach-1
The Mustang Mach-1
The Porsche 911 Turbo
The Porsche 911 Turbo
The DMC-12
The DMC-12
The Chevrolet Corvette C4
The Chevrolet Corvette C4
What iconic material was used for the exterior of the DeLorean to help with temporal displacement?
Carbon fiber chassis
Carbon fiber chassis
Aluminum alloy body
Aluminum alloy body
Fiberglass frame
Fiberglass frame
Stainless steel panels
Stainless steel panels
What was a major practical concern that led producers to abandon the refrigerator concept?
The car was too small for the camera equipment
The car was too small for the camera equipment
The engine required specialized fuel additives
The engine required specialized fuel additives
The studio thought a fridge looked too much like a prop from an old movie
The studio thought a fridge looked too much like a prop from an old movie
The filmmakers feared children might lock themselves in real refrigerators
The filmmakers feared children might lock themselves in real refrigerators
Which actor was originally cast as Marty McFly and filmed several weeks of footage before being replaced?
C. Thomas Howell
C. Thomas Howell
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox
Ralph Macchio
Ralph Macchio
Eric Stoltz
Eric Stoltz
What was the primary reason for the decision to replace the lead actor mid-production?
He demanded a salary that exceeded the remaining production budget
He demanded a salary that exceeded the remaining production budget
He had a scheduling conflict with another major film production
He had a scheduling conflict with another major film production
The director felt his performance was too dramatic and lacked comedic timing
The director felt his performance was too dramatic and lacked comedic timing
He suffered a serious injury during the clock tower stunt sequence
He suffered a serious injury during the clock tower stunt sequence
Where was the iconic Clock Tower sequence filmed?
The tower was a matte painting integrated into a standard suburban house
The tower was a matte painting integrated into a standard suburban house
The movie was filmed at the actual Hill Valley Clock Tower in California
The movie was filmed at the actual Hill Valley Clock Tower in California
The scene was filmed in a clock tower located in a central European city
The scene was filmed in a clock tower located in a central European city
The tower was a massive set built specifically for the film on the Universal backlot
The tower was a massive set built specifically for the film on the Universal backlot
What source of power is needed to provide the 1.21 gigawatts of electricity to send the DeLorean back to 1985?
A controlled explosion of fuel tanks
A controlled explosion of fuel tanks
An industrial laser array
An industrial laser array
A high-voltage power line accident
A high-voltage power line accident
A bolt of lightning
A bolt of lightning
What was the main purpose of the practical effect involving magnesium strips on the road?
To make the car appear to fly during the high-speed drive
To make the car appear to fly during the high-speed drive
To stabilize the car’s speed as it hit 88 miles per hour
To stabilize the car’s speed as it hit 88 miles per hour
To simulate the internal flickering of the flux capacitor
To simulate the internal flickering of the flux capacitor
To create the trail of fire left on the pavement after time travel
To create the trail of fire left on the pavement after time travel
Which fictional gadget seen in the 2015 scenes of the film became one of the most culturally iconic ‘future’ predictions?
A wearable headset for television viewing
A wearable headset for television viewing
A hoverboard
A hoverboard
Automated drones for walking dogs
Automated drones for walking dogs
Voice-activated home lighting systems
Voice-activated home lighting systems
What did the film predict about the Chicago Cubs in the year 2015?
They would win the World Series against a team from Miami
They would win the World Series against a team from Miami
They would disband their baseball franchise
They would disband their baseball franchise
They would relocate to a different city
They would relocate to a different city
They would play their home games in London
They would play their home games in London
Which technology prominent in the film’s 2015 vision ironically became obsolete much faster than expected in the real world?
Self-tying sneakers
Self-tying sneakers
Flying cars replacing all ground traffic
Flying cars replacing all ground traffic
Holographic movie advertisements for Jaws 19
Holographic movie advertisements for Jaws 19
Fax machines in every single room
Fax machines in every single room
What was the format of the USA Today newspaper featured in the 2015 scenes?
A 3D holographic display
A 3D holographic display
A traditional paper newspaper
A traditional paper newspaper
A flexible digital screen
A flexible digital screen
A rollable electronic tablet
A rollable electronic tablet
What is the current status of the footage featuring the original actor cast as Marty?
The studio destroyed all recorded footage to prevent comparison with the final cut
The studio destroyed all recorded footage to prevent comparison with the final cut
The production team found the original footage and released it as a special edition
The production team found the original footage and released it as a special edition
Several short clips of the alternate lead actor were leaked by a crew member online
Several short clips of the alternate lead actor were leaked by a crew member online
The original footage remains largely unreleased and is considered a ‘holy grail’ for fans
The original footage remains largely unreleased and is considered a ‘holy grail’ for fans
Which of the following 2015 predictions from the movie bears a striking resemblance to modern smart glasses?
Floating street performers using anti-gravity magnets
Floating street performers using anti-gravity magnets
Glasses that allow users to talk on the phone and view multiple channels simultaneously
Glasses that allow users to talk on the phone and view multiple channels simultaneously
High-speed trains replaced cars for short distances
High-speed trains replaced cars for short distances
Tablets that function as portable culinary ovens
Tablets that function as portable culinary ovens
Who directed the Back to the Future trilogy?
Steven Spielberg
Steven Spielberg
John Williams
John Williams
Robert Zemeckis
Robert Zemeckis
Bob Gale
Bob Gale
What speed must the DeLorean reach to activate the flux capacitor?
80 miles per hour
80 miles per hour
85 miles per hour
85 miles per hour
88 miles per hour
88 miles per hour
90 miles per hour
90 miles per hour
What initial power source did Doc Brown use to generate the 1.21 gigawatts of electricity needed for the time machine?
Plutonium stolen from Libyan terrorists
Plutonium stolen from Libyan terrorists
A bolt of lightning channeled from the clock tower
A bolt of lightning channeled from the clock tower
A fusion reactor powered by household waste
A fusion reactor powered by household waste
A nuclear reactor powered by uranium
A nuclear reactor powered by uranium
What difficulty did the crew face when filming the DeLorean’s driving scenes?
The car was so low to the ground it kept getting stuck on the clock tower set tracks
The car was so low to the ground it kept getting stuck on the clock tower set tracks
The stainless steel finish was hard to clean and prone to fingerprints
The stainless steel finish was hard to clean and prone to fingerprints
The doors were prone to jamming during intense stunts
The doors were prone to jamming during intense stunts
The engine was actually quite slow, requiring extensive camera trickery to make it appear fast
The engine was actually quite slow, requiring extensive camera trickery to make it appear fast
How does the real-world 2015+ era compare to the hoverboard prediction from the film?
Mass-market hoverboards using liquid nitrogen cooling are sold in standard toy stores
Mass-market hoverboards using liquid nitrogen cooling are sold in standard toy stores
Levitating hoverboard technology was legally banned by global governments before any prototypes could be built
Levitating hoverboard technology was legally banned by global governments before any prototypes could be built
Real-life hoverboard-style electric boards with wheels have become common, but they do not actually levitate
Real-life hoverboard-style electric boards with wheels have become common, but they do not actually levitate
True levitating hoverboards are now mass-produced and used by most school children
True levitating hoverboards are now mass-produced and used by most school children
Why was Michael J. Fox unable to play Marty McFly when Back to the Future originally began filming?
He failed his initial chemistry read with Christopher Lloyd
He failed his initial chemistry read with Christopher Lloyd
He was committed to his busy schedule on the TV sitcom Family Ties
He was committed to his busy schedule on the TV sitcom Family Ties
The director initially felt he was too young to play Marty
The director initially felt he was too young to play Marty
He was committed to filming a Broadway play at the time
He was committed to filming a Broadway play at the time
Which of these automated public devices is shown roaming the streets of Hill Valley in the year 2015?
A specialized cargo truck
A specialized cargo truck
A robotic trash-compacting bin
A robotic trash-compacting bin
A self-driving police van
A self-driving police van
An automated mail delivery pod
An automated mail delivery pod
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