In “Back to the Future,” who was originally cast as Marty McFly?

When "Back to the Future" zoomed into theaters in 1985, Michael J. Fox seemed born to play Marty McFly - the skateboarding teen who accidentally meddles with his parents' romance. But Fox wasn't the first actor to don that iconic down vest. So who originally hopped behind the wheel of that DeLorean?

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The answer is: Eric Stotlz

The next time you watch Marty McFly skateboard through Hill Valley, remember this: somewhere in a vault at Universal Studios, there's about 40 minutes of footage showing a completely different actor performing those same scenes. For the first month of filming "Back to the Future," Eric Stoltz was Marty McFly.

Director Robert Zemeckis had always wanted Michael J. Fox for the role, but with Fox starring in "Family Ties," the path to casting became complicated. Universal executive Sid Sheinberg championed Eric Stoltz, impressed by his powerful performance in "Mask." And so, in late 1984, Stoltz grabbed his homework and headed for the Twin Pines Mall.

But something wasn't clicking. As the footage rolled in, Zemeckis faced an uncomfortable truth - the film wasn't working. Stoltz, a method actor known for dramatic intensity, was delivering a different Marty than the script demanded. As Zemeckis would later explain, "He's a magnificent actor but his comic sensibilities were very different from what I had written with Bob [Gale]. He and I were never able to make that work."

After four weeks, Zemeckis made the hardest pitch of his career - replacing his lead actor. With Steven Spielberg's backing and the studio's blessing, they approached Fox. Despite the punishing schedule ahead - shooting "Family Ties" by day and "Back to the Future" by night - Fox jumped at the chance. For months, he worked 16-hour days, ping-ponging between sitcom son and time traveler.

Stoltz took the news hard, but professionally. While only fragments of his performance have surfaced online (nothing stays in the vault forever), he went on to build a solid career both in front of and behind the camera. You might spot him getting medieval in "Pulp Fiction," or catch his director credits on shows like "Glee" and "Madam Secretary."

In the end, that reshoot cost $4 million and pushed "Back to the Future's" budget to $19 million - but it was worth every penny. The film went on to make $388 million worldwide and gave us the Marty McFly we know and love. Like Doc Brown said, "If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything" - even if it means starting over from scratch.