By Erik Davis
UPDATE: Well, today is the day Nike promised us a pair of self-lacing sneakers just like the ones Marty McFly wore in Back to the Future II. So where are they?
When reached for comment, Nike did confirm to ABC News that the first pair of self-lacing sneakers does indeed exist and they are in New York City today. Why New York City? Most likely to coincide with an anniversary celebration tonight featuring a cast reunion followed by a Q&A and a screening of Back to the Future II.
There’s no word on whether the sneakers will be available to the public or if they were created solely to show off on Back to the Future Day, but good news is we’ll have those answers by the end of the day.
UPDATE 2: Michael J. Fox has revealed a letter sent to him today from Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, confirming the sneakers are on their way.
The letter I received from Tinker today. Thanks @Nike pic.twitter.com/UIolXrkUVC
— Michael J. Fox (@realmikefox) October 21, 2015
UPDATE 3: And here’s Michael J. Fox trying them on. If you want your own pair, you’re going to have to have a ton of money to throw down: They are making more, but they will only be available through an auction, with proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
Michael J. Fox models the first self-lacing @Nike Mag pic.twitter.com/bgPWM5CKBE
— michaeljfox.org (@MichaelJFoxOrg) October 21, 2015
Previously…
As soon as the clock struck midnight and 2015 strolled into our lives, various sites and news media were all over the connection between the year and the Back to the Future sequel in which Marty (Michael J. Fox) and Doc (Christopher Lloyd) travel from the ’80s to the year 2015 because, as Doc warns Marty, “Something’s got to be done about your kids!”
Not surprisingly, director Robert Zemeckis’ vision of 2015 is a bit different from the real 2015 — most notably there are no flying cars and the Jaws franchise is (thankfully) not releasing its 19th installment. But some stuff is close to actually happening, and of course we’re talking about those spiffy power-lacing Nike shoes that Marty rocks out in the movie.
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Fans have been on Nike for years to create a power-lacing sneaker, and the company promised it would deliver one in the year 2015 to coincide with the year the movie is set in. So… where is it?
Well, give it another month. Max Erdenberger, a former art director with ties to Nike, posted this image to Twitter seeminly revealing Nike’s plans to finally release the power-lacing sneaker this October 21, 2015, which also happens to be the exact date Marty McFly travels to in the Back to the Future sequel.
October 21, 2015 pic.twitter.com/uOCp5L8BXz
— Max Erdenberger (@thebetamax) September 9, 2015
Erdenberger followed up this tweet with one saying he doesn’t have much to report, but knowing Nike has been working hard to make these sneakers a reality in 2015 means chances are good they will be available to own this October.
How many will be available and how hard will it be to obtain a pair? The word is still out, but last time Nike did this — using a replica pair minus the power laces — they only made 1500 pairs available with all proceeds going towards the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Earlier this year Nike’s Tinker Hatfield (pictured above, via NikeKicks.com) addressed this very topic at a trade show, saying they’re working real hard on getting the self-lacing shoes on the market as soon as possible, but that they still have “11 and two-thirds months left in 2015.”
So Nike is definitely planning on delivering you Back to the Future nerds (raises hand) your precious power-lacing sneakers (yes!) at some point this year, and October 21 seems like the choice date for such a reveal. In the meantime, check out some of the Nike MAG 2015 US Patent Papers to see what the shoes will look like and how they’ll work, with additional patent images here.
Who’s buying a pair?
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