Back To The Future screenwriter asked Universal to destroy censored version of movie sequel

Bob Gale asked Universal to destroy a censored version of Back To The Future: Part II.

The screenwriter - who penned the iconic time travel trilogy with director Robert Zemeckis - has blamed the studio for Netflix ending up with an "edited version" which omitted a scene where Biff Tannen (Thomas F. Wilson) thinks he's found the sports almanac in Principal Strickland's (James Tolkan) office, only to discover it's actually a raunchy magazine.

He told the Hollywood Reporter: "Apparently, this was a foreign version which neither director Robert Zemeckis nor I even knew existed, for some country that had a problem with the Oh La La magazine cover.

"I asked that the studio destroy this version. FYI, Netflix does not edit films - they only run the versions that are supplied to them.

"So they're blameless. You can direct your ire at Universal, but I think they will be a lot more careful in the future - and with 'the future.'"

The streaming platform has all three movies available to watch - including the original 1985 film, its 1989 sequel and 1990's Wild West-inspired third flick.

Now, Gale is glad the service is airing the "original version", after making sure Universal had dealt with the censoring issue.

He added: "The blame is on Universal who somehow furnished Netflix an edited version of the movie.

"I learned about it some ten days ago from an eagle-eyed fan, and had the studio rectify the error. The version now running is the uncensored, unedited, original version."

Gale and Zemeckis recently joined the movie's cast - including stars Christopher Lloyd, Michael J. Fox and Lea Thompson - for Josh Gad's Reunited Apart YouTube series, and the former once again dismissed the idea of a fourth movie.

He quipped: "It would have to be that Doc and Marty find out that we're thinking about making another Back To The Future movie and come back to stop us from doing such a crazy thing."