'Back to the Future' stage musical in the works

LONDON, Jan. 31 (UPI) -- A West End stage musical based on the 1985 science-fiction comedy movie "Back to the Future" is being developed, producers announced Friday.

Filmmakers Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale are working on the project with Universal Stage Productions, London-based producer Colin Ingram and Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment.

The musical will have a book by Zemeckis, Gale and Jamie Lloyd, and new music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard, with additional music from the film by Huey Lewis & The News, Chuck Berry, Pat Ballard and Curtis Williams. The movie's signature songs "The Power of Love" and "Johnny B. Goode" will be featured in the show.

"The 'Back to the Future Musical' is a project that Bob Zemeckis and I have been exploring for almost 10 years," Gale said in a statement. "We're thrilled to be at last in partnership with a creative and producing team that will create a show that is true to the spirit of the film without being a slavish remake. Director Jamie Lloyd is full of passion, energy and imaginative ideas and we are overjoyed to have the film's composer Alan Silvestri composing the music, with lyrics by Glen Ballard who has also collaborated with Zemeckis before on many projects. With all of us working together, we know the integrity of the material will be preserved in a production that will be a wonderful companion to the trilogy. We intend to use music from the movie along with brand new songs to make a version of 'Back to the Future' that is fresh, entertaining, and takes advantage of all the amazing things that can now be done on stage. We can't think of a better way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the film."

Starring Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as Dr. Emmett Brown, the film took $360.6 million at the box office worldwide and the total box office for the movie and its two sequels was $936.6 million, adjusted for inflation, that would be more than $1.8 billion today.

"Marty McFly is a teenager who is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr. Emmett Brown," a synopsis said. "As well as finding a way back to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents unite in order to save his own existence."