Steven Spielberg has been awarded the title of one of the best filmmakers of all time and it is for good reason. The films that he has released have shaped an entire generation of movie watchers and helped revolutionize Hollywood into what it is today. From deep, impactful stories, to science fiction classics, he seems to have dabbled in all genres. There is one movie, however, that stands out in his filmography; Back to the Future.
Following the story of Marty McFly, the film series became a classic in every definition of the word. Not only did it create a sub-genre of its own in cinema, but it also had an effect on sci-fi that cannot be measured. In every which way, the movie was perfect and gained a dedicated group of fans.
However, what many might not know is that there were people who wanted the film’s name to be different. A studio head at Universal wanted to name the movie ‘Space Man from Pluto’.
Back to the Future’s Title Caused Some Conflict
The name ‘Back to the Future’ has significance, not only as a cool title for a film but also within the plot of the movie itself. The story follows two versions of Marty McFly, one from 1955, and the other from 1985. The former is the one that we follow and through time travel, the latter gets stuck in the past.
Being a twist on the saying “back to the past”, the film is called ‘Back to the Future’ because the latter must now get back to his present timeline, which happens to be the future for his younger self.
While many liked this aspect of the movie, there were some who were skeptical about the odd title during the early stages of production of the movie. Sid Sheinberg, studio head at Universal wasn’t all too keen on the movie being named the way it was. So much so, that he actually wrote a letter to Steven Spielberg about why he did not like the title.
“I continue to believe the title leaves much to be desired. There are a number of reasons why I found the title less than “wonderful;” but my primary concern is that it appears to make the picture a “genre” picture. I think the script (and, hopefully, the film) deserves a better title.”
As revealed by All The Right Movies on X, Sheinberg wrote in the letter that he had several reasons for not liking such a name for the movie. His biggest concern, however, was that it would force the film to be perceived in the specific, science-fiction genre only, one that was not popular at the time.
Sid Sheinberg Offered An Alternative Name To Steven Spielberg
Rather than only giving criticism, Sid Sheinberg also offered a solution for Steven Spielberg. He gave the Oscar-winning director, a suggestion about what the movie should be named, putting forth ‘Space Man from Moon’ as a contender. He mentioned several reasons why he thought the title would be a better fit than the original, thinking such a title would scream originality to audiences.
“Now that I have buttered you up, I would suggest we consider the title ‘Space Man From Pluto.’” He went on, “I am sure there will be those who will argue that the movie will appear to the audience to be a cheap, old-fashion sci-fi flick. Nonsense! I think it’s a kind of title that has “heat, originality and projects fun.” Most importantly I think it avoids the feeling of a “genre” time-travel movie.”
He even gave the director suggestions about where the title could be hinted at in the movie itself, offering for it to get added to specific pages during specific dialogues. It is safe to say that such a title would have been a huge jump from what the filmmaker had planned and would have given the movie a different feeling altogether.
