We recently reported that Mattel will be manufacturing a special limited edition of the Back to the Future hoverboard for collectors.
This is obviously a dream come true for many geeks who would have loved a hoverboard under their tree for Christmas way back when, but Mattel never officially put one out, even though you could see the Mattel logo on the board in the movie. More on this in a second…
Then I got an e-mail from Bob Gale, who created Back to the Future with Robert Zemeckis, with the message line saying, “Yes, I’m shameless!”
As it turns out, Gale sent me an interview he did for Beyond the Marquee about the Mattel hoverboard, along with the message, “Here I am, shamelessly promoting Mattel’s upcoming hoverboard replica! (But damn, it’s gonna be cool!)”
Who can argue with enthusiasm like that?
Gale and special effects maven Michael Lantieri (Jurassic Park, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland) talked to the site when they visited the Mattel factory. Both were there to check out the hoverboard, and make sure it’s up to snuff.
Gale brought some of the hoverboards from Back to the Future 2 so Mattel could get as close to the original as possible. Lantieri said he was surprised “how well [Mattel] knows the movie, and it will be really exciting to see it come out as a toy.”
Gale also recalled that Mattel wasn’t happy their logo was on the hoverboard in the movie, as they got a bunch of mail and calls from kids who wanted the toy for Christmas.
Gale even kept his fan mail from kids who wanted hoverboards, and he read some of them aloud at Mattel.
Considering it’s been over twenty years since the hoverboard was seen in Back to the Future, guess it’s indeed true that good things come to those who wait.
