Marty McFly
A high school student who accidentally becomes a time traveler and alters history after his scientist friend Emmett Brown invents a DeLorean time machine.
Martin Seamus McFly is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Back to the Future franchise. He is a high school student living in the fictional town of Hill Valley, California, who accidentally becomes a time traveler and alters history after his scientist friend Emmett Brown invents a DeLorean time machine. He was created by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale. In the film trilogy, he is portrayed by Canadian actor Michael J. Fox. Back to the Future established Fox as a film star, such was the commercial success and popularity of the film upon its release in 1985. Marty returned in two film sequels, Back to the Future Part II in 1989 and Back to the Future Part III in 1990.
- Role
- Protagonist / Time Traveler
- Affiliation
- McFly Family, Doc Brown
- First Appears
- Back to the Future (1985)
- Notable Skill
- Electric Guitar Performance
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Marty McFly is the youngest of three children of George McFly and Lorraine Baines-McFly. He has a brother, Dave McFly, and a sister, Linda McFly. Marty's girlfriend is Jennifer. He is a confident teenager who attends high school and dreams of becoming a rock star. He also lives in a family with various personal issues. During the development of Back to the Future, Eric Stoltz was initially cast in the role, but was replaced by Fox. Various other actors have portrayed or voiced the character in other media. In the animated series, David Kaufman voices him, and in the video game developed and published by Telltale Games, he is voiced by A.J. LoCascio, while Fox makes vocal cameos as his future counterparts. Olly Dobson played him in the original stage musical adaptation in the West End and Casey Likes plays him in the Broadway production.
In Their Own Story
Marty McFly is raised in Hill Valley, California, a fictional town set in 1985. He accidentally travels back to 1955 in a DeLorean time machine invented by his scientist friend Emmett Brown. Stranded in 1955, Marty must navigate awkward encounters with his teenage parents, George and Lorraine, and ensure they fall in love so that he will still exist. He performs a cover version of the song 'Johnny B. Goode' by Chuck Berry at a school dance, playing guitar (mimed by Fox, with Tim May on guitar and vocals by Mark Campbell). Marty's skateboarding sequences were choreographed by professional skateboarders Per Welinder and Bob Schmelze. While filming a scene for the third film, which involves Marty being strung up in a noose by Buford 'Mad Dog' Tannen and his gang, the stunt almost went seriously wrong. Fox recalled that the rope blocked his carotid artery and caused him to lose consciousness for several seconds until Zemeckis realised that he was not acting.
Reader's Guide
Marty McFly is the Back to the Future protagonist. He is a confident teenager who attends high school and dreams of becoming a rock star. He lives in a family with various personal issues. He is the youngest of three children of George McFly and Lorraine Baines-McFly. He has a brother, Dave McFly, and a sister, Linda McFly. Marty's girlfriend is Jennifer. Critics have described Marty as a film character that defined the 1980s. He was named one of the greatest movie characters of all time by Empire. Critics have also described him as a pop culture icon. Since the release of Back to the Future, he has been influential in other media, often being referenced in television and film.
Did You Know?
- Marty was named after a production assistant on Used Cars because it seemed like a 'good, all-American name'.
- Michael J. Fox was 23 years old when he took on the role of 17-year-old Marty in 1985.
- For the 'Johnny B. Goode' scene, Fox mimed the guitar playing and lip-synced the song; Tim May played guitar and Mark Campbell provided the vocals.
- While filming a hanging stunt for Back to the Future Part III, the rope blocked Fox's carotid artery and he lost consciousness for several seconds.
- Eric Stoltz was initially cast as Marty and used method acting, insisting the film crew call him 'Marty' even when not filming, before being replaced by Fox.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Marty McFly?
Marty is the teenage protagonist of the trilogy who travels through time alongside his eccentric mentor, Doc Brown. He begins as an ordinary high schooler but evolves into a confident hero across multiple eras.
What role does Marty play in the timeline?
As the primary time traveler, he often gets stranded in different decades where he must fix historical anomalies to ensure his own existence. His actions directly determine the fate of Hill Valley and his family line.
How does Marty travel through time?
He utilizes a modified DeLorean sports car equipped with a flux capacitor, which requires reaching 88 miles per hour to initiate temporal displacement. This vehicle is built and maintained by Dr. Emmett Brown.
Why is Marty's guitar playing significant?
His electric guitar performance at the Enchantment Under the Sea Dance is crucial for convincing his parents to fall in love during 1955. This talent also defines his career path as a musician in alternate realities.
Does Marty survive all three films?
Yes, Marty remains alive throughout the entire trilogy and successfully resolves conflicts in both 1955 and 2015. He ultimately returns to his original timeline with a restored family life.
More in Characters & Cast
Related in Back to the Future
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Elsewhere in the Back to the Future universe
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