How Much Money Did Crispin Glover Actually Turn Down For Back To The Future 2?
If you suddenly spring to life at the mention of 88 miles per hour or know what a flux capacitor is, then you're probably a fan of the hit movie franchise "Back to the Future." Directed by the legendary Robert Zemeckis, the first "Back to the Future" follows the exploits of Doctor Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd) and his creation of a time machine on the chassis of a DeLorean after hitting his head in the bathroom. Accompanying the animated scientist is Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), whom no one can call "chicken."
The movie starts off with Doc Brown testing out his time machine before he appears to be gun-downed by terrorists that he made promises to in exchange for nuclear material. Marty jumps into the time machine and sets off a course of events that sees him make sure his parents get together, prevent a horrible and crime-ridden present day (in the context of the movie), and later end up in the Wild West, complete with cowboys and shootouts. However, the notoriously eccentric Crispin Glover — who played Marty's school-age father during the 1950s — turned down a role in "Back to the Future II." Here's how much money he passed on.
Crispin Glover was offered $125,000
During an interview with Howard Stern in 1992, Crispin Glover told the host that he was offered $125,000 to reprise his role as Marty's father in "Back to the Future II," Yahoo News reports. It was also reported that he wished for $1 million dollars to reprise the role, which would have been the same salary as Michael J. Fox (via The Hollywood Reporter). Ultimately, Glover did not return to the franchise, and this caused an entirely different issue. Since Glover was not returning, his role was recast with Jeffrey Weissman. But it wasn't that simple, and Weissman was fitted with prosthetics and makeup to make him resemble Glover at a quick glance. This earned the ire of Glover, who sued for using his likeness without permission. The problem was resolved outside of court, with Glover earning a $760,000 settlement and setting a legal precedent.
As it turns out, Crispin was also uninterested in the script for "Back to the Future II" due to the underlying theme of financial success changing people for the better in the new timeline at the end of the first movie (via The AV Club). Crispin Glover never repeated his role, and the producers probably wish they would have complied with his first request.