“Back to the Future,” as it exists, is widely considered to be one of the greatest films ever made. So it’s not as though any of us would like to upset the applecart and replace Michael J. Fox with Eric Stoltz. But many of us have wondered what that film would look like, and it would be amazing to see it. And, according to this alternate reality within the DC Universe, Stoltz did a damn fine job. Muschietti didn’t leave it at one pop culture alteration though, as this was just the tip of the iceberg.
Even though he missed out on Marty McFly in “The Flash” universe, nobody should cry for Fox. He ended up starring in “Footloose” instead of Kevin Bacon. That’s actually pretty fun to picture and it could totally work. But what happened to Kevin Bacon, you might ask? Well, he did just fine for himself, having starred in “Top Gun” instead of Tom Cruise. If everything else went unchanged, that means Bacon would be cashing a fat check for “Top Gun: Maverick” right about now.
And things even extend beyond the screen. For one, “Downton Abbey” didn’t seem to make it to the airwaves in this universe, but there is a popular restaurant called Downton Abbey’s. Does it exist near Applebee’s? No, because Applebee’s in this universe is called Bananabee’s! The dominoes fall as the butterfly effect continues to do its thing.
One imagines multiple viewings of the movie will reward further those who are interested in what else Barry might have changed in regard to pop culture. We can’t visit this world, but damned if it doesn’t sound as fascinating as watching “Terminator 2” with Sylvester Stallone in “Last Action Hero.”
“The Flash” is in theaters now.