4 Predictions Back to the Future 2 Got Wrong About 2015 (But We’re Close to #1)

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It’s surprising for people from Generation X and Millennials to realize that we are not only on par with the future that Marty McFly visits in Back to the Future Part II, but we have surpassed it by a decade. In the movie, McFly travels 30 years into the future from 1985 to 2015, finding his life didn’t turn out as he had hoped and unintentionally granting Biff Tannen (Tom Wilson) the power to manipulate the space-time continuum for personal gain. Although director Robert Zemeckis of Back to the Future accurately predicted certain aspects of the 21st century, such as hydroponic gardens and smart homes, there are still some advancements he misjudged, both in 2015 and now.

4) Widely Accessible Flying Cars and Skateboards

We’re really bummed about this situation. In the movie “Back to the Future,” Marty, Doc Brown (played by Christopher Lloyd), and Jennifer (Elisabeth Shue) travel to the future using Doc’s flying DeLorean. Upon arrival, they find out that others also have access to this technology. By 2015 in the movie, flying cars are quite common, similar to how regular cars are today on Earth. However, even though there are electric-powered flying car prototypes and tests underway, it seems we’re still about a decade away from seeing these vehicles as everyday means of transport by 2025.

It’s quite disheartening that we haven’t invented flying hoverboards yet, considering they seem less challenging compared to what we’ve accomplished. The thrilling scenes of chases and skateboarding in Back to the Future Part II, especially Marty’s hoverboard, have left a lasting impression; however, as of now, we haven’t developed anything that can truly levitate like the one depicted in the movie.

3) Dehydrated Food

In the movie, when Marty’s parents, Lorraine (played by Lea Thompson) and George (Jeffrey Weissman), visit his house, we see Lorraine swiftly producing a large, steaming pizza from what appears to be a pizza bagel in just seconds. Interestingly enough, while the film was made forty years ago, hydrators haven’t overtaken microwaves in our modern kitchens, and fresh food is more common than pre-packaged or shrink-wrapped alternatives. Ironically, our contemporary society values organic, locally sourced ingredients more highly, rather than meals that can be prepared quickly.

In the movie Back to the Future, the depiction of a 2015 kitchen is quite distinct from our current ones. Unlike today, hydroponic gardens are common household appliances in that future world. However, unlike what’s portrayed, these gardens don’t usually slide up from the ceiling when activated by voice command and they’re not as big as a standard tower garden.

2) Self-Fitting and Drying Clothing

If someone went out wearing clothing from the movie “Back to the Future Part II” portraying 2015 fashion, they’d undoubtedly seem eccentric or like characters straight out of the film. The costumes in the movie’s future scene are more reminiscent of the space-age ’80s than what people really wore a decade prior. However, self-adjusting and drying clothes could significantly reduce our laundry expenses.

Forty years after their introduction, Marty’s Nike sneakers with self-adjusting laces remain innovative, even though shoes with similar features became available in stores as early as 2015. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Robert Zemeckis and costume designer Joanna Johnston foresaw the trend; instead, it underscores the enduring appeal of Nike’s design aesthetic.

1) The Prevalence of Robots

By 2015, robots were certainly more prevalent than they are today in our daily lives, but not quite as omnipresent as portrayed in “Back to the Future Part II”. While we had automated food ordering screens and Roombas vacuum cleaners, they didn’t possess the ability to walk or hover our pets like the robot shown outside the McFly house. Additionally, the antigravity back stretcher worn by George in the movie was not available at that time, and still isn’t (which might be a good thing given its dubious effectiveness). As for artificial intelligence, the debate around ethics and its use was ongoing in 2015 and remains so in 2025. Notably, robots weren’t advanced enough to replace reporters back then, nor have they done so as of 2025.

Back to the Future Part II is currently streaming available to rent on AVOD.

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2025-09-09 22:15