J.K. Rowling saved ‘Back to the Future’
train from ‘Harry Potter’ fate
by Hoai-Tran Bui
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12 Monkeys’ showrunner Terry Matalas told the story of how
Rowling stopped the iconic train from becoming a Hogwarts
Express. (Photo: CARL COURT,
AFP/Getty Images) |
Thirty years later and Back to the Future is still fresh in our minds - and will
stay that way if Michael J. Fox has anything to say about it - but even some of
its most iconic props can be lost to the ravages of time. But thanks to J.K.
Rowling, one of them wasn’t. The train at the centre of one of the most
thrilling scenes in Back to the Future III is currently on display at Universal
Studios in Florida, but its fate may have been far different if it wasn’t for
the Harry Potter author. In an interview with The Nerdy Bird, 12 Monkeys
show-runner and die-hard Back to the Future fan Terry Matalas revealed that the
famous train had almost been turned into a Hogwarts Express at Universal
Studios’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter. (His drama runs on Syfy, which is
owned by NBC Universal.) “The story behind the train is when they were walking
J.K. Rowling through the park, they were going to use the train or convert the
train for the Hogwarts (Express) at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter,”
recounted Matalas. “She was like ‘No, absolutely do not do that, please do not.
This is iconic. Keep it totally as it is.’ So J.K. Rowling actually saved the
Back to the Future III time train from being (turned into a Harry Potter
attraction).” Don’t worry, another anonymous train was turned into the Hogwarts
Express, which you can ride at the theme park. But most importantly, the Back to
the Future train remains as is, to remind us that “your future is whatever you
make it.”
- USA TODAY
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