Bill & Ted 3 has cast Jillian Bell as the time travelling families' therapist. And while we’re still a full year away from the official release of the third film in the classic stoner comedy franchise, things have really been moving forward over the past month.
Bill & Ted Face the Music has had a lengthy journey to production, with numerous setbacks along the way often making it look as though the third film wasn’t to be. The second film in the series, 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey came just two years after Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure introduced audiences to Ted Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves) and Bill S. Preston Esquire (Alex Winter). Since then, it’s been 28 years without the slow witted duo and their ridiculous metal band The Wyld Stallyns, and for many fans, a third film wasn’t something they’d been expecting. Bill & Ted, it seemed, weren’t thought of or spoken about much, except as a quaint bit of Hollywood nostalgia, marking the point where Reeves’ career kicked off.
Now that we know that Bill and Ted are definitely on their way back to theaters, a big part of the fun has been seeing who else will be cast alongside the return of Reeves and Winter. According to Variety, the latest bit of casting news is that former SNL writer Jillian Bell will help Bill and Ted face the music next summer, with a role as the family therapist for both the Logan and Esquire families.
Though Bell has yet to become a household name, she’s quickly becoming one of the most instantly recognizable faces in comedic television and film. Often portraying slightly unhinged characters with a hilarious penchant for unpredictable behaviour, Bell has been the unexpected comedic highlight of a lengthy list of productions including Bridesmaids, Goosebumps, Fist Fight and Rough Night. And as Bill and Ted Face the Music will deal with the issue of a middle aged Bill and Ted trying to come to terms with their lack of musical success, Bell is an excellent choice to play the therapist who will try to sort out the clueless duo’s troubles as well as the troubles of their respective families. The sessions will clearly be going for comedy, meaning Bell’s measured but brutally honest delivery could make them a real stand out.
After 28 years without a new Bill & Ted film, this latest installment isn’t through with what has been a substantial uphill climb to production. Getting the film made was only one aspect of the battle, as it remains to be seen just how audiences in 2020 will respond to a franchise that was relevant before the internet was even commonplace. Despite this, however, Reeves is currently enjoying what many have dubbed a “Keanussance”, meaning a new generation of fans are being enticed to see his films. If this ends up being the case with Bill and Ted Face the Music and if it has what it takes to make audiences laugh and enjoy themselves, all could very well be most excellent again.
Source: Variety