Ed Solomon, one of the screenwriters behind the Bill & Ted films -- including the upcoming Bill & Ted Face the Music -- answers if the previous incarnations of the time-traveling buddy franchise, which include comic books and two television series, are part of the official canon."The comics (which we had nothing to do with, though I hear they're good) are [definitely] non-canon," Solomon said on Twitter in response to a fan's question. "As are the TV shows (which we weren't even allowed to work on), and certain title jokes that were added by the title company."
The animated series Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventures premiered in 1990 and ran for 21 episodes across two seasons. A live-action series of the same name debuted in 1992. It ran for seven episodes and followed the time-traveling duo as they dealt with the consequences of disrupting the timeline. Before working on Game of Thrones, David Nutter early in his career directed two episodes.
DC Comics published a tie-in comic that followed the plot of the first film, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. The sequel, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, was then adapted by Marvel Comics. The second adaptation was such a hit that it led to the Wyld Stallyns starring in their own ongoing series at Marvel titled Bill & Ted's Excellent Comic Book, which ran for 12 issues.
However, given the fact that Solomon does not consider the comics and shows to be canon (and, in fact, wasn't even allowed to work on the latter), Bill & Ted fans should not expect these adventures to be acknowledged in Face the Music.
Directed by Dean Parisot and written by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon, Bill & Ted Face The Music stars Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Kid Cudi, Brigette Lundy-Paine, and Samara Weaving. The film arrives in theaters on Aug. 21, 2020.