Earlier this summer, the 1991 sequelBill and Ted’s Bogus Journeycelebrated its 25th anniversary, with Shout! Factory releasing new Blu-ray editions of this and the originalBill & Ted’s Excellent Adventurelater this month. Last year, we learned that the firstBill & Tedmovie almost featured a time travelling van and a dog, but now we have details about the sequel, revealing what the original ending was before it was changed. There has always been evidence of a much different ending out there, but now directorPeter Hewitttells all in a new interview.
Bloody-Disgustingcaught up with bothPeter Hewittand actorWilliam Sadlerat theBruce CampbellHorror Film Festival.William Sadlerplayed theGrim Reaperin a beloved, breakthrough performance. The story followedKeanu ReevesandAlex Winter’s title characters, who must defeat evil robots sent from the future to prevent them from winning the Battle of the Bands. The script was originally entitledBill & Ted Go to Hell, and the site points out that movie trailers, trading cards and a comic book for the movie hinted at a scene where creatures from Hell attack Bill & Ted on Earth. When asked about whether this scene existed or not,Peter Hewitthad this to say.
“It wasn’t a scene, it was the entire ending of the movie. It was a different ending. Evil Bill and Ted open their chests and out come these strange cylinders that start to bubble and turn into something. Then, Bill and Ted arrive at the auditorium, the Battle of the Bands, and then theirworst fearsincarnate arrive. So, a giant easter bunny arrives and attacks them, granny arrives, Colonel Oats attacks them, and then I can’t remember…”
The director confirmed thatAlex Winter’s Bill andKeanu Reeves' Ted do make it back for the Battle of the Bands in this original ending. Bloody-Disgusting also found a number of photos from this scene revealing some of the hell spawn who come to Earth.Peter Hewittclarified that the ending was changed because it did not test well with audiences.
“But then the ending…we tested it, cause the film was shot really quickly and then came out a couple of months later; suddenly it was like we’re six weeks from opening and needed a new ending. So, the whole ending of Bill and Ted building ‘Good’ robots to defeat the ‘Bad’ robots, that was a new ending; and all the concert stuff was new. Death was in it, but by that time we were finding anything and everything for you [talking toWilliam Sadler] to do.”
Peter Hewittdidn’t take part in any commentary tracks on the new Shout! Factory Blu-ray, so we may not get more insight into thisoriginal endingofBill and Ted’s Bogus Journey. It’s possible that this ending could eventually find its way onto another home video release, perhaps the 30th Anniversary, but we don’t know for sure. Take a look at the full video interview withPeter HewittandWilliam Sadlerbelow, along with photos from these deleted scenes.
