It goes without saying, anytime one gets a chance to speak with either Alex Winter or Keanu Reeves, at some point the conversation must include a question or two about perhaps their most famous characters, Bill S. Preston and Ted “Theodore” Logan, Esquire, and a third film in the beloved Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure franchise.
In November 2018, Alex Winter while appearing on Behind the Lens, gave an update on the much-anticipated third installment, advising there was a script that both he and Reeves were satisfied and happy with and it looked like the film would finally move forward.
Fast forward to July 2020 and Bill & Ted Face the Music has not only moved forward, but it is almost ready to be released into the world within the coming months. What that release will be exactly in terms of theatres/streaming/VOD remains to be seen in this pandemic world, but in speaking with Winter this week during an interview for his new directorial, Showbiz Kids, when talk turned to Bill & Ted he emphatically stated, “I can tell you with complete confidence, it is on its way!”
Although he can’t provide “more specificity” right now, Winter went on to say, “We are very, very happy with the film. We’ve worked very hard on it. It was not easy at any part of the process. It’s all been a challenge from one end to the other, but every Bill and Ted movie is, and this really just fits squarely into the franchise. We’re very, very happy with it and really eager to get it out into the public and to let them have it. So I’m looking forward to that film being released soon, which it will be. We will have more news on that as we have it, but we will have more news soon.”
On inquiring about revisiting Bill S. Preston, his enthusiasm was boundless. “There are few things that I find more joyful than performing with Keanu. We are very close friends and have been all these years, but there’s something different about actually being on set and in front of a camera together and in that playground, to play those characters. I think we both looked at each other after the end of week one, and we almost didn’t have to even say anything. It was just like, “Ah, it’s good to be back!”
But before we return to the world of Bill S. Preston and Ted “Theodore” Logan in Bill & Ted Face the Music, you’ll want to check out the latest documentary from writer/director Alex Winter, Showbiz Kids, premiering exclusively on HBO on July 14th.
by debbie elias, exclusive interview 07/01/2020
