A musical version of cult 1980s film Back To The Future will premiere in Manchester in 2020 before transferring to London’s West End.
The film’s creators Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale have worked for years to get the stage version up and running, but Gale said the time is now right.
The musical will debut at the Manchester Opera House on February 20 for a 12-week run until May 17 next year, marking the hit film’s 35th anniversary.
Gale, who wrote the film about a time-travelling teenager alongside its director Zemeckis, is writing the book for the musical, which will have music and lyrics by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning composer Alan Silvestri and Grammy-winner Glen Ballard.
The show will also feature songs from the film including The Power Of Love and Johnny B Goode.
West End star Olly Dobson, whose previous theatre credits include the original cast of the Bat Out Of Hell musical and Matilda, has been cast as Marty McFly, played by Michael J Fox in the film.
Further casting will be announced in due course, producers said.
It will be produced by Colin Ingram, who worked on Ghost – The Musical, and directed by Tony Award-winning Urinetown The Musical director John Rando,
Christopher Lloyd, who played Doc Brown in the film and its sequels, has told of his excitement about the musical adaptation.
He said: “Ever since Bob Gale told me about this, I’ve been eagerly anticipating it and, in particular, wondering what it will be like to hear Doc Brown sing.
“So I’m really looking forward to attending the opening in Manchester to experience our wonderful movie as a musical. I’m only sorry I don’t have a real time machine so that I could see it tomorrow!”
GREAT SCOTT! #BackToTheFuture The Musical is gonna change musical history at the Manchester Opera House for 12 weeks only from 20 Feb 2020 ⚡️
🎟️ On-Sale @ 10:00am Fri 24th May 🎟️
Sign-Up for a Priority Ticket Pre-Sale @ 12:00pm on Thurs 23rd HERE: https://t.co/ddkGgBxBZJ 👈 pic.twitter.com/8gQ1Fg6odr
— Back to the Future (@BTTFmusical) May 17, 2019
Gale said: “Bob Zemeckis and I have been trying to get this project off the ground for years, but good things take time and finally, the time is right. Our cast is outstanding, the songs are fantastic, and director John Rando is doing an amazing job ensuring the show truly captures the magic of the movie.
“We’re thrilled that we can retell our story on stage in a brand-new way, and we’re certain that Back to the Future fans all over the world will share our enthusiasm. In the words of Marty McFly, ‘your kids are gonna love it’ – and so will you and your parents.
“There’s truly no better way to celebrate the movie’s 35th Anniversary, and we’re happy to say The Future is coming back!”
Ingram added: “This show has been six years in the making and we are delighted to be showing it to the people of Manchester first before the rest of the world gets to see it.
“As I did with Ghost – The Musical, Manchester gets it first, so synchronise your watches because, when this musical hits 88 mph, you’re going to see some serious… entertainment!”
Tickets are on sale from 10am on May 24.