10 years journey on screen for Bill and Ted Face the Music Filled with both excellent and bogus moments, and – with the exception of franchise stars Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter – no one has spent more time immersed in that saga than screenwriters Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon.
The writers of all three films of the franchise, Matheson and Solomon, have been lazy heroes William “Bill” S. since 1989. Preston (Winter) and Ted “Theodore” took the torch for Logan (Reeves). Bill & Ted’s Super Adventure Became one of the surprise hits of that year. The third installment of the series, Bill and Ted Face the MusicReaches theaters on August 28 (and via on-demand video), and finds the titular Bill and Ted trapped in middle-aged sadness, frustrated by their inability to live up to their musical destiny.
spoke to Matheson and Solomon about the long, stony path to the screen Bill and Ted Face the Music, And how the film’s story has changed and evolved over the past decade.
: I feel like I’ve been writing about this film for so long, but you’ve been involved in it for a very long time. How does it feel for the film to finally be released soon?
Ed Solomon: “Well, today is the first day that I have personally spoken to people who have seen it. There is a sense of relief there, because I never thought it would actually happen. Just the fact that it is there and it is finished means that there is no further work on it. So now the time has come for that awkward moment of transition where it is no longer your film. This is everyone’s film. And there is nothing you can do about it. It is in the world, and it is what it is. And people will make it what they are going to make it. “
You have been working on the script for this for so long, and a lot can change over time. What are some of the big ways of scripting this film in the last 10 years?
Chris Matheson: “The core ideas stuck very quickly. We knew they were going to travel into the future and try to steal the song by themselves, and while doing so, interact with a bunch of versions of themselves. And that Was going badly. Those things have been stuck for a long time. But I would say that the daughters’ visit happened later, among other things, and how they interacted with death.
Initially, there was a version of the story with an extended sequence that took place in medieval England. There was a primary villain – which was another difference in that early story – and the villain carried his wives and children. So they were trying to get back into medieval England to try to get out of trouble, and they were using a bunch of skills they didn’t realize they had learned over the years, like Stilt-walking and log-rolling and crossbow shooting. . It was a wild, wild scene, and a lot of fun – but it didn’t fit. It would also be a fairly expensive sequel to the film. “
Watching the film was a wonderful reminder of how unique the original film was – from its pace and tone to the characters’ dialogues. How did you get back into the unique headspace for these characters while writing this?
Matheson: “In 2008, Alex and Keanu expressed an openness to make this film for the first time. They were interested in the original idea of how destiny has not worked for Bill and Ted. So we had to find a plot and finally tried to come forward with them and steal a song by ourselves.
But then in 2010, Ed and I finally got to sit down and write. I remember that day very well. We were like, ‘We have not written to these people [or] Performed this voice over two decades. How is it going Will we still be able to bill and Ted? ‘But it was really like riding a bike. We started writing and talking like Bill and Ted, and what we wrote was one of the first wedding scenes – that toast in that opening scene. We thought it was ridiculous, because some of the things they’re saying makes no sense, but it makes us think, ‘Okay, good. We can still write to these people. ”
Solomon: He said, “We did not watch films to prepare for it. We just feel and feel it. And I remember us saying to each other, ‘It feels right. Looks like where they will be now. ‘We didn’t really talk about it. We did not talk about details or features. We jumped in the bus “
The film stars Bill and Ted who are trying their best to save the universe with a song that will unite everyone. How should you work to find out what form that song will be in the film?
Solomon: “Yes, we knew from the beginning that to say that you have to write a song that is going to unify the world, is a work that no musician wants and no screenwriter should establish himself. And you would think, as long as we are doing this, we will not throw ourselves into that incredible deep trap. But we did.
But the way we came around it was to make it so it is not the quality of the song that matters. It’s less about the song and more about how it’s played … “
Let’s stop there, because we don’t want to spoil anything. I’m sure there are some scenes you’re really excited about for one reason or another, so without spoiling anything, are there any particular scenes you’re really excited to see Bill and Ted fans?
Matheson: He said, “There is some delay in the film when you get to feel the depth of emotions associated with their wives and their children which I find very interesting and dynamic. I’m glad we went for them. They were not obvious things to go through, as it is not really common. I like characters [Will Ferrell’s] Ricky-Bobby and Ron Burgundy because they’re fantastic, but those characters don’t grow up. They do not have deep feelings. They are hilarious, but we were trying to make Bill and Ted experience real, deep feelings. Have we achieved that, I do not know. But I am proud that we went for it. “
Solomon: “In the first film, Ted deals with the agony of his childhood, which leaps and bounces through life. But in the ’50s, those monsters took root deep in his emotional life. I loved seeing that I I play like this face the music moves forward. I love that when Ted sees the future Ted, they don’t get along very well – but the two Bill get along with Mahan. There is a difference between Bill and Ted, and it was really fun for me. It was fun for us to write, and I think it was dynamic for Keanu and Alex. I’m hoping that Bill and Ted’s fans will find that entertaining as well. “
It looks strange to look beyond Bill and Ted Face the Music At this point, but are there likely to be more stories with them? Have you talked about it?
Matheson: “It’s funny, because I have a strong sense of, ‘No, we’re done. Three is good. There’s a beginning, a middle, and an end.’ But actually, while Ed and I are interviewing, we’re talking about it. And thinking, ‘Well, what about if …’
The idea is to see these people again in 20 years, when they are old – really old. This is strange and potentially really interesting. It’s a long way, but I think it would be really weird, creatively. I know that I never saw anything like this. There is no clue what its comedy will be, and what the story is. But it is strange and it is interesting. Also, it’s Billy and Thea. If we can get their stories to move forward, that’s great. “
Directed by Dean Paris and written by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon, Bill and Ted Face the Music Will be available in theaters and via on-demand video on August 28. And remember: Be excellent to each other.
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