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Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

  • 19891989
  • PGPG
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
127K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,158
256
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Keanu Reeves, Robert V. Barron, Terry Camilleri, George Carlin, Al Leong, Tony Steedman, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:34
13 Videos
99+ Photos
AdventureComedyMusic
Two seemingly dumb teens set off on a quest to prepare the ultimate historical presentation with the help of a time machine.Two seemingly dumb teens set off on a quest to prepare the ultimate historical presentation with the help of a time machine.Two seemingly dumb teens set off on a quest to prepare the ultimate historical presentation with the help of a time machine.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
127K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
2,158
256
  • Director
    • Stephen Herek
  • Writers
    • Chris Matheson
    • Ed Solomon
  • Stars
    • Keanu Reeves
    • Alex Winter
    • George Carlin
Top credits
  • Director
    • Stephen Herek
  • Writers
    • Chris Matheson
    • Ed Solomon
  • Stars
    • Keanu Reeves
    • Alex Winter
    • George Carlin
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 272User reviews
    • 123Critic reviews
    • 50Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations

    Videos13

    Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
    Trailer 1:34
    Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
    Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
    Trailer 1:55
    Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
    Class
    Trailer 0:46
    Class
    Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
    Trailer 0:30
    Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
    Where Did Keanu Reeves Hide a 'Bill & Ted' Easter Egg?
    Clip 3:03
    Where Did Keanu Reeves Hide a 'Bill & Ted' Easter Egg?
    What We Know About 'Bill & Ted Face the Music' ... So Far
    Clip 3:22
    What We Know About 'Bill & Ted Face the Music' ... So Far
    '80s Movie Quiz With "Stranger Things" Star Gaten Matarazzo
    Clip 3:41
    '80s Movie Quiz With "Stranger Things" Star Gaten Matarazzo
    Keanu's Endless Summer or Reeves Reloaded
    Clip 3:09
    Keanu's Endless Summer or Reeves Reloaded
    'Endgame' Is Only the Beginning for 'Spider-Man'
    Clip 4:07
    'Endgame' Is Only the Beginning for 'Spider-Man'
    'Bill & Ted' Tangle With Death and Middle Age in Threequel
    Clip 2:48
    'Bill & Ted' Tangle With Death and Middle Age in Threequel
    Keanu Reeves & Alex Winter on Bill, Ted, & Their Little Usses
    Interview 2:55
    Keanu Reeves & Alex Winter on Bill, Ted, & Their Little Usses
    Who Was Almost Cast in 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'?
    Video 3:32
    Who Was Almost Cast in 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'?

    Photos240

    Jane Wiedlin, Robert V. Barron, Clifford David, Al Leong, Rod Loomis, and Tony Steedman in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves, George Carlin, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves, Dan Shor, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    George Carlin in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves, Dan Shor, Tony Steedman, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves, Tony Steedman, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves, George Carlin, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves, Dan Shor, Tony Steedman, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves, Tony Steedman, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)
    Keanu Reeves, Tony Steedman, and Alex Winter in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Keanu Reeves
    Keanu Reeves
    • Ted 'Theodore' Loganas Ted 'Theodore' Logan
    Alex Winter
    Alex Winter
    • Bill S. Prestonas Bill S. Preston
    George Carlin
    George Carlin
    • Rufusas Rufus
    Terry Camilleri
    Terry Camilleri
    • Napoleonas Napoleon
    Dan Shor
    Dan Shor
    • Billy the Kidas Billy the Kid
    Tony Steedman
    Tony Steedman
    • Socratesas Socrates
    Rod Loomis
    Rod Loomis
    • Freudas Freud
    Al Leong
    Al Leong
    • Genghis Khanas Genghis Khan
    Jane Wiedlin
    Jane Wiedlin
    • Joan of Arcas Joan of Arc
    Robert V. Barron
    Robert V. Barron
    • Abraham Lincolnas Abraham Lincoln
    Clifford David
    Clifford David
    • Beethovenas Beethoven
    Hal Landon Jr.
    Hal Landon Jr.
    • Captain Loganas Captain Logan
    Bernie Casey
    Bernie Casey
    • Mr. Ryanas Mr. Ryan
    Amy Stoch
    Amy Stoch
    • Missyas Missy
    • (as Amy Stock-Poynton)
    • …
    J. Patrick McNamara
    J. Patrick McNamara
    • Mr. Prestonas Mr. Preston
    Frazier Bain
    • Deaconas Deacon
    Diane Franklin
    Diane Franklin
    • Princess Joannaas Princess Joanna
    Kimberley Kates
    Kimberley Kates
    • Princess Elizabethas Princess Elizabeth
    • (as Kimberley LaBelle)
    • Director
      • Stephen Herek
    • Writers
      • Chris Matheson
      • Ed Solomon
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit
    In the small town of San Dimas, a few miles away from Los Angeles, there are two nearly brain dead teenage boys going by the names of Bill S, Preston ESQ. and Ted Theodore Logan, they have a dream together of starting their own rock and roll band called the "Wyld Stallyns". Unfortunately, they are still in high school and on the verge of failing out of their school as well, and if they do not pass their upcoming history report, they will be separated as a result of Ted's father sending him to military school. But, what Bill and Ted do not know is that they must stay together to save the future. So, a man from the future named Rufus came to help them pass their report. So, both Bill and Ted decided to gather up historical figures which they need for their report. They are hoping that this will help them pass their report so they can stay together. —John Wiggins
    time travelreference to star warsabraham lincoln characterjoan of arc characternapoleon bonaparte character455 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • History is about to be rewritten by two guys who can't spell...
    • Genres
      • Adventure
      • Comedy
      • Music
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Alex Winter claimed that he gets two types of letters from teachers; positive ones from history teachers for encouraging students to learn about history, and negative ones from English teachers for affecting the way students speak.
    • Goofs
      When Bill and Ted pick up Genghis Khan in Outer Mongolia, the screen card says it's 1209. During the report, Bill says they picked him up in 1269. Genghis Khan died in 1227. In 1269, the Mongol Empire was ruled by Kublai Khan, Genghis' grandson.
    • Quotes

      Evil Duke: Put them in the iron maiden.

      Ted: Iron Maiden?

      Bill, Ted: Excellent!

      [air guitar]

      Evil Duke: Execute them.

      Bill, Ted: Bogus!

    • Alternate versions
      In the Television version, there are a few minor dialogue edits. For example, in the scene where Ted falls down a flight of stairs in a suit of armor and a "medieval dude" run the suit through, Bill says to the man who did that "You killed Ted you medieval Dickweed", the Dialogue is changed to "You killed Ted you medieval 'Bonehead'"
    • Connections
      Edited from War and Peace (1956)
    • Soundtracks
      I Can't Break Away
      Written by Mitch Bottler and Gary Zekley

      Published by Colgems - EMI Music Inc. and Teenie Bopper Music

      Performed by Big Pig

      Produced by Nick Launay

      Courtesy of A&M Records, Inc.

    User reviews272

    Review
    Top review
    Probably one of the most intelligently written screenplays of alltime.
    Any idiot can sit down and spend four or seven years of his life writing out his "masterpiece." You do some research, you do some hard work, you get a little help from friends and family, and you get it done. But, it takes a true writing genius (or geniuses, in this case) to create something as original as "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure." The ingenuity of the movie can even be seen in its delightful tagline: "History is about to be re-written by two guys who can't spell." This tagline is both simple and clever, while being both corny and slightly comical. Like "Real Genius," this film utilizes ideas from both the highest form of screenwriting while still delving into the lowest common denominator, somehow doing both at the same time. For instance, to perfectly grasp the concept of Bill and Ted's "lingo," one would truly have to stoop to the lowest rung of the intelligence level. But, with such ingenius ideas as having Bill and Ted meet each other in the beginning of the film, then later finding themselves, allowing the audience to gain insight on what happened in the past is just a stroke of cinematic brilliance. And the running gag about "when the Mongols conquered China" was one of the many cherries on the cake. Even some of the background comments (after being told he's "too tall, man" making the phone booth even more crowded, Lincoln responds: "That's how I'm built.") Any movie where Genghis Kahn is tempted to come into a phone booth by a Twinkie has to be something special. If only production companies and filmmakers would take a chance on something as original as a time travelling phone booth carrying two idiots on the course to better the future, the public could finally go back to watching movies in theaters again.
    helpful•168
    61
    • Klickberg
    • Nov 19, 2000

    FAQ10

    • What is "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" about?
    • Is "Bill & Ted's Excellent Aventure" based on a book?
    • Where and when does the movie take place?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 17, 1989 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • German
      • Greek, Ancient (to 1453)
    • Also known as
      • Dudes
    • Filming locations
      • Metrocenter Mall - 9801 N. Metro Pkwy W., Phoenix, Arizona, USA
    • Production companies
      • De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (DEG)
      • De Laurentiis Film Partners
      • Interscope Communications
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $10,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $40,485,039
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,167,651
      • Feb 20, 1989
    • Gross worldwide
      • $40,508,994
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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