Bill & Ted 3 will shoot soon, prompting the question as to why, 30 years since the original was released, is now the right time for a new installment? The cult-success of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure created something of a cultural phenomenon after its debut on February 17, 1989, introducing the world to the goofy stoner-logic of Bill S. Preston, Esq and Ted Theodore Logan, (played by Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves, respectively), two high school students sent on a time-traveling adventure in order to pass their history assignment.
The resulting success of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure seemed to take all involved with the actual production by surprise. The entire process of making the film had been filled with roadblocks. The ending and beginning were both completely reshot, the role of Rufus seemed impossible to cast - with the likes of former Beatle Ringo Starr even being considered at one point - and to top it all off, the film’s production company declared bankruptcy temporarily, making it appear that the future of Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure was dim. Thankfully, all difficulties were surpassed and not only was the film a hit, but it went on to spawn an animated as well as live-action TV series, video games and of course, the 1992 sequel, Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey.
Now, some 30 years on and after much debate and speculation, Bill & Ted 3 – officially known as Bill & Ted Face the Music - will shoot soon. This news comes to us courtesy of Production Weekly, which listed the sequel in its most recent issue. The original start date had been January 10, but we now know that date has come and gone without production kicking off. In addition to the listing from Production Weekly, the film now has its own Twitter account and has recently posted the following advice from our favorite dudes:
Indeed, the interest that remains attached to the Bill and Ted saga has arguably grown rather than diminished over the years. Exactly why is difficult to pin down. According to the original’s director Stephen Herek, Bill and Ted retain an innocence that’s rooted in their love of life. Positivity shines through them, which is something that people recognize and which, in turn, makes people happy. But Winter has his own take on Bill and Ted, one that sees the duo’s honesty as the most endearing force. Said Winter recently to THR:
When the new film does finally arrive, fans will be treated to a plot that sees Bill and Ted in present day, stuck in middle-aged ruts. The failure of the pair’s band, The Wyld Stallyns, to write the song that brings humanity together is wearing on them and the fabric of time. When a tear in this fabric occurs, Bill and Ted - and this time their daughters as well - must travel through time to make things right. It’s not the most complex plot in the world, but no Bill & Ted fan would expect it to be either. Having succeeded for this long when the odds seemed against them, it feels fitting that Bill & Ted Face the Music has also experienced its share of production uncertainty. Perhaps it’s what continues to drive the franchise forward in its own strange, yet most excellent way.
“The film is legitimately idiosyncratic in ways that worked in its favor in terms of lasting the test of time. I don’t think anybody really knows when you make a movie why it sticks around long-term. We’re not Casablanca. We’re not The Godfather, right? When you watch the movie, you are watching two friends who genuinely care about each other and genuinely care about other people, trying to navigate a world that to them is very strange and difficult, which is obviously very relatable. And it doesn’t do it in a very heavy-handed way, and it doesn’t do it in a preachy or sanctimonious way. And I think that’s a big part of why it lasts.”
More: 10 Time Travel Movies We’d Never Want To Experience
Source: Production Weekly, THR, Bill & Ted 3/Twitter
