Michael J. Fox Celebrates Back to the Future’s 40th Anniversary at Southampton Playhouse

On Sunday, August 10, the Southampton Playhouse turned back the clock to 1985, hosting a rare IMAX screening of Back to the Future to mark the film’s 40th anniversary. The celebration drew an electric crowd, eager to see Michael J. Fox—the actor who made Marty McFly a cultural icon—take the stage for an intimate post-screening conversation.

Artistic Director Eric Kohn moderated the discussion, which explored Fox’s memories from filming, the movie’s enduring legacy, and his ongoing mission to create awareness for Parkinson’s disease through the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Since its founding, the organization has raised an extraordinary $2 billion toward research and advocacy, underscoring Fox’s profound impact both on and off the screen.

The evening ended on a high note, with the audience rising in a heartfelt standing ovation, proof that four decades later, Back to the Future continues to inspire.

This special event was part of Southampton Playhouse’s 80’s Blockbuster Essentials series, which also features The Terminator with producer Gale Anne Hurd and an IMAX presentation of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.