William Sadler will return as Death in the long-awaited sequel Bill & Ted Face the Music, the production has confirmed. Released in 1989, the original Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure charted the exploits of a pair of California slackers (Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter) who, in order to secure their destiny as world-saving rock-and-rollers, traveled back in time to kidnap various historical figures to help them craft the ultimate high school history paper.

A solid hit with $40 million grossed at the box office ($92 million adjusted for inflation), the movie spawned the 1991 sequel Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. In the follow-up, Bill and Ted face a Terminator scenario as a future dictator sends android versions of the pair back in time in order to eliminate them. Now, nearly 30 years after their bogus journey, Bill and Ted are set to return in Bill & Ted Face the Music. This time around, the heroes experience a midlife crisis after realizing they still have not fulfilled their destiny as the rock band who save the world, so they again go back in time, this time to discover the perfect song.

With Bill & Ted Face the Music set to begin filming soon, the movie has revealed a big bit of casting news via Twitter, confirming that major Bogus Journey player William Sadler is set to return. In Bogus Journey, Sadler’s Death finds himself pitted against Bill and Ted in a series of board games (a parody of Max Von Sydow’s chess game against Death in Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal), ultimately losing to the slacker pair and being forced to serve as their slave forever. Bill & Ted screenwriter Ed Solomon previously revealed that Death had a role in the third movie’s script, but Sadler’s involvement was not yet confirmed.

In addition to the confirmation of Sadler’s involvement in the movie, Bill & Ted 3 also addressed questions of how the new movie will tackle the absence of the late George Carlin, who played time traveling Rufus in the original films. The movie’s account tweeted:

Of course, Bill & Ted 3 will be headed up by Reeves and Winter as the titular would-be rock gods. According to the movie’s synopsis, Bill and Ted will be joined by their daughters for a time-traveling adventure that also features several historical figures. The movie will reportedly see Bill and Ted revisiting scenes from the earlier movies, in the style of Back of the Future Part II.

He’s so deeply missed by all who worked with him on the previous two films. His character will not be recast, but his absence will be a part of the whole third movie - including what is possibly the most emotional scene of the film.

With Sadler jumping aboard the movie, Bill & Ted Face the Music has cast a major role. Fans of the original movies will undoubtedly be thrilled to see Death once again being driven to exasperation by his masters Bill and Ted. More casting news should be coming soon with the film set to begin shooting.

More: Bill & Ted 3 Gets An Official Summer 2020 Release Date

Source: Bill & Ted 3/Twitter

  • Bill and Ted 3 Release Date: 2020-08-28