The Keanu Reeves comeback tour continues as Entertainment Weekly released the first photos from Bill & Ted Face the Music, the third installment in the most excellent franchise.
The images depict Keanu Reeves’ Ted “Theodore” Logan III and Alex Winter’s Bill S. Preston Esq. standing in the iconic time-traveling phone booth that launched Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure in 1989. In addition to rocking out with their band, Wyld Stallyns, the guys have also become fathers. Samara Weaving plays Bill’s daughter, Thea, while Brigette Lundy-Paine portrays Ted’s kid, Billie.
Last spring, it was announced that Bill & Ted Face the Music — the first film in the franchise since 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey — would soon start shooting. Orion Pictures slated the film for a summer 2020 release date and the project appears to be right on track — the third installment is due out August 21, 2020.
Bill & Ted Face the Music finds the titular characters still trying to springboard the Wyld Stallyns to epic success. Fans of the franchise will remember Bill and Ted learned in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure that their music would inspire a utopian future society. Evidently, they’ve been working on inspiring that society ever since. According to franchise writer Chris Matheson: “Now an emissary from the future comes and says, ‘You’ve got to do it right now. We’ve got literally 80 minutes or all of reality will come to an end.’” Sounds like some stakes!
This time around, they are aided in their quest by their daughters, who love their dads’ music and want to help them save the world. Other new cast members include Barry star Anthony Carrigan, Saturday Night Live cast member Beck Bennett, and musician-actor Kid Cudi. The film also welcomes back William Sadler as the Grim Reaper.
For Keanu Reeves, this film could represent yet another win in an extremely successful run over the past few years. After rejuvenating a semi-dormant career with the John Wick trilogy, he has been in hot, hot demand. Entertainment Weekly even named him one of their 2019 Entertainers of the Year.
Winter has spent much of his time since the first two Bill & Ted films directing documentaries, so reprising his role as Bill is both a familiar reunion and a chance to hone his acting skills once again.
Bill & Ted Face the Music is slated to hit theaters August 21, 2020.
