Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure(1989)

PG
1h 30m

Release Date: Feb 17, 1989 | Wide

6.9

Two rock-'n-rolling teens, on the verge of failing their class, set out on a quest to make the ultimate school history report after being presented with a time machine.

Releases

Original Release | Feb 17, 1989

View Advanced Data

Box Office Results

Updated as of May 28, 2026 11:30 AM ET

Results

Opening Weekend US & Canada:
$4,658,485
Total US & Canada:
$40,485,039
Total International
$23,955
Total Worldwide:
$40,511,484

Current Showtimes

orround

Sun Aug 9
Mon Aug 10
Tue Aug 11
Wed Aug 12
Thu Aug 13
Fri Aug 14
Sat Aug 15

Director & Top Cast

Stephen Herek
Director

Keanu Reeves
Ted 'Theodore' Logan

Alex Winter
Bill S. Preston

George Carlin
Rufus

Terry Camilleri
Napoleon

Dan Shor
Billy the Kid

Tony Steedman

Socrates

Rod Loomis

Freud

Al Leong

Genghis Khan

Jane Wiedlin

Joan of Arc

Robert V. Barron

Abraham Lincoln

Clifford David

Beethoven

Hal Landon Jr.

Captain Logan

Bernie Casey

Mr. Ryan

Amy Stoch

Missy, Mom

J. Patrick McNamara

Mr. Preston

Frazier Bain

Deacon

Diane Franklin

Princess Joanna

Technical Specifications

Sound Mix: Dolby Stereo,Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio: 2.39 : 1

Other Details

Country of Origin: United States

Language: English,French,German,Greek, Ancient (to 1453)

Summaries

Plot Summary

In 2688, humanity exists as a utopian society due to the inspiration of the music and philosophy of the Two Great Ones: William "Bill" S. Preston, Esq., and Ted Theodore Logan. One of the citizens, Rufus, is tasked by the leaders to travel back to San Dimas, California, in 1988 using a phone booth-shaped time machine to ensure that the young Bill and Ted, two dim-witted high school students, successfully pass history class. If they fail, Ted's father, police Captain Logan, plans to ship Ted to a military school in Alaska, ending Bill and Ted's fledgling band, Wyld Stallyns, and altering history.Rufus finds the two teens at a Circle K convenience store, struggling to finish their history report, in which they must describe how historical figures would view the present San Dimas. Rufus offers his help before another phone-booth time machine arrives and future versions of Bill and Ted step out. After assuring the present-day Bill and Ted that Rufus's claims are true and that they can trust him, they disappear in the time booth.Rufus shows Bill and Ted how to operate the time booth, taking them back to 1805 where they find Napoleon Bonaparte leading his forces against Austria. As Rufus, Bill and Ted return to the present, Napoleon is thrown by a cannonball explosion into their wake, and is dragged through the Circuits of Time along with them. Rufus explains that time will continue to progress normally for Bill and Ted and that they cannot miss their class presentation the next day; he then departs, leaving the empty time booth for them. As they discuss where to go next, they discover Napoleon stuck in a nearby tree, inspiring them to abduct historical figures and take them to the present for their school presentation. They leave Napoleon with Ted's younger brother Deacon before they go.They befriend Billy the Kid in the Wild West, and Socrates in Ancient Greece, before stopping in 15th-century England, where they fall in love with princesses Joanna and Elizabeth. Their father, the king, tries to have them executed, but Billy and Socrates help them escape. The booth, which is slightly damaged in the process, takes them to the far future, where they find a society that reveres them and their future band. They are inspired to complete their report with "extra credit" by abducting Sigmund Freud, Ludwig van Beethoven, Joan of Arc, Genghis Khan and Abraham Lincoln. After a brief stop in prehistoric times to repair the booth, they program it to return to the present, but end up outside the Circle K the night before, where Rufus was first introducing himself. They convince their earlier selves of Rufus's trustworthiness before he explains to them how to get to the next day.When they arrive, they learn that Deacon has abandoned Napoleon at a bowling alley. They leave the other historical figures at the mall to learn about San Dimas while they seek out Napoleon at Waterloo, a local water park. The historical figures get into trouble at the mall and are arrested by Captain Logan.Bill and Ted execute an escape plan based on using the time booth in the future to set up what they need in the present. They break their historical friends out of jail, then present each of them to the assembled school using stage lighting effects and rousing music. Their "report" earns a standing ovation, and they pass the course.Some time later, Rufus returns, accompanied by the two princesses, whom he has rescued from pre-arranged marriages. He says that they will also be part of Wyld Stallyns, and that the four of them will change the world with their music. He asks to jam with them-but on hearing their fledgling attempts to play, he turns to the movie audience and assures them, "They do get better."

Storyline

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 Bill S. Preston, ESQ. and Ted Logan are in deep trouble. They have to complete an oral report for History, and if they don't get an A+, they will flunk History. And if they flunk History, Ted will be sent to military school in Alaska. Fortunately for them, they receive help in the form of a time machine that they borrowed from a time traveler named Rufus. They bring back many historical figures, including Billy the Kid, Napoleon, Socrates, Joan of Arc, Genghis Khan, and others. Sadly, problems arise and all of the historical figures are jailed. Bill and Ted must rescue them in order to complete their report. — frankiepenguin San Dimas, California, 1988. While flirting with disaster, Bill and Ted, a pair of high school slackers and ambitious rock stars, have a life-saving encounter with the unexplained just when they needed it most: only a few hours before failing history. So, to nail their final presentation and get an A+ on the oral report the following morning, the lost boys have no choice but to follow an extraordinary benefactor to the edge of the world and beyond. This way, they'll learn first-hand everything about history. However, as Ted and Bill embark on the adventure of a lifetime, everyone's future is hanging by a thread. Can the clueless explorers of the unknown ace their project tomorrow? — Nick Riganas Ted "Theodore" Logan and Bill S. Preston esquire won't graduate if they don't do well in their history presentation. This would be both bogus and uncool! A dude called Rufus comes from the future in a telephone box to help them, as their lives are apparently rather important to the future of mankind! They travel through time doing some interesting research for their history presentation, and generally being excellent to each other! — Colin Tinto <cst@imdb.com> 1 more See all

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