A third Keanu Reeves/Alex Winter ‘Bill and Ted’ movie might be a smart example of kid-friendly nostalgia if parents feel comfortable taking their kids to a theater.
A third Keanu Reeves/Alex Winter Bill & Ted movie might be a smart example of kid-friendly nostalgia if parents feel comfortable taking their kids to a theater this summer.
Bill and Ted Face the Music, starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, now has an announcement trailer. It coasts on nostalgia and catchphrases, with “since last we left them” exposition (“Bill and Ted didn’t end up uniting the world through their music.”) and a hint of new plot (“Bill and Ted go to the future to steal the ‘one great song’ from themselves.”). The question, beyond how the current pandemic will affect its theatrical fortunes, is whether Bill & Ted is even a franchise. Yes, the first film earned $40.485 million domestic in February of 1989 from a $6.5 million opening and on a $10 million budget. But Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, released in July of 1991, was a disappointment. It earned just $37.5 million domestic from a $10.5 million opening on a $20 million budget.
Yesterday was the 36th anniversary of Ghostbusters, which opened on the same day as Gremlins. Both are considered iconic 1980s blockbusters, with Ghostbusters becoming the first non-Spielberg/Lucas release ever to top $200 million domestic right as the Spielberg-produced Gremlins earned $148 million. But both films spawned underwhelming sequels. Ghostbusters II broke the opening weekend record in June of 1989 with $29 million but flamed out comparatively quickly for a $109 million cume. Gremlins II: The New Batch, despite being a better movie than its predecessor, earned just $41.
