'Bill & Ted Face the Music' skips theaters for a most excellent VOD release
This September, the party is coming to video on demand... the Wyld Stallyns party that is. The long-awaited sequel, Bill & Ted Face the Music — starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter as most excellent pals Theodore “Ted” Logan and Bill S. Preston, Esq. — is skipping its planned August 28 multiplex premiere for a September 1 debut via on-demand services, as well as an ultra-limited theatrical run.
As part of the announcement, Orion Pictures released a new trailer for the film, which shares more details about its top-secret plot. For example, it looks like Bill and Ted’s daughters, Billie "Little Bill" Logan (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and Theodora Thea "Little Ted" Preston (Samara Weaving) are going to go on a most excellent adventure of their own, traveling through time and space to collect famous musicians from history. The new trailer also gives us our first look at how the film will pay homage to dearly departed George Carlin: comedian Kristen Schaal plays Kelly — the name of Carlin’s real-life daughter — who stands in for sage mentor figure, Rufus. (Watch the trailer below.)
Face the Music’s pivot from a theatrical launch to a VOD premiere is an acknowledgment that multiplexes won’t be returning to business as usual anytime soon as coronavirus infection rates continue to rise around the nation. Many in Hollywood had their hopes pinned on Christopher Nolan’s Tenet as being the film that could rescue the summer moviegoing season with a mid-August release date, but the pandemic felled those plans last week when Warner Bros. indefinitely postponed the movie’s release. Walt Disney has also delayed the release of its live action version of Mulan, previously scheduled for August 21.
When Yahoo Entertainment spoke with Winter for his HBO documentary, Showbiz Kids, the actor and director acknowledged the challenging release climate for a mid-level movie like Bill & Ted Face the Music. (In a recent interview with Total Film, Reeves described the production as feeling like a “scrappy independent movie.”) But he also was eager not to make fans wait too long to rock out with Wyld Stallyns. “We love the movie, and are trying to figure out how to get it out there safely,” Winter told us. Breaking the news about the VOD launch on Twitter, Winter proclaimed that “The wait is over!” and reminded everyone to “be excellent” to each other. Twitter quickly responded in kind.
The wait is over! @BillandTed3 will be released in the U.S. on September 1st on video-on-demand and in select theaters!
Enjoy our brand new trailer and remember to be excellent! 🤟 #BillAndTed3 #FaceTheMusic pic.twitter.com/unNJGpflDe— Alex Winter 😷 (@Winter) July 23, 2020
I'm in favor of all movies going VOD same day as theaters but can somewhat understand someone like Chris Nolan holding back. A mid-level movie like Bill & Ted is perfect for VOD though. A kind of niche audience and even if it's good, it's unlikely to be a huge BO hit. More VOD! https://t.co/UyOrBO9MBg
— Jay Bauman (@JayBauman1) July 23, 2020
I am crying tears of joy. After all these years this is real. In the middle of one of the worst years on record. This finally happened. pic.twitter.com/NMWBqODvfm
— Ihatenicknames (@ksyd2015) July 23, 2020
Sooooo ready!! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/bXpkNbCdqr
— Darth Cookies (@Jess_Ra) July 23, 2020
Being someone in a very high risk category of catching the virus, I do not have words to express how happy the video-on-demand news makes me. Thanks for this most excellent gift! 🍕🐌
— twitch.tv/pizza_snail (@1Pizza_Snail) July 23, 2020
Yes!!!! Thank god! 👏👏👏👏So many movies I’ve been looking forward to have been pushed back to Fall 2021.
— Brian David (@briandavid0523) July 23, 2020
I’ve seen the first two films in the theaters and loved them both. I wish I could see this one there too but I’ll definitely be getting it OnDemand. 😀
— Richard (@silent037bob) July 23, 2020
We’re prepared to have the most triumphant time when Bill & Ted Face the Music is available on September 1.
Bill & Ted Face the Music will premiere on-demand and in select theaters on September 1.
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