As soon as I saw the pilot for HBO's Barry, I knew that Anthony Carrigan would be one to watch. The actor stole scene after scene as the colorful henchman Noho Hank, who has since blossomed into a full-fledged crime boss on the show, and it's great to see him lining up some feature projects. Last week, Carrigan signed on to join Kevin Hart in Sony's dramedy Fatherhood, and today brings word that Carrigan will play the bad guy in Bill & Ted Face the Music.
Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter are set to return as the titular duo, while Brigette Lundy-Paine (Atypical) and Samara Weaving (The Babysitter) will play their respective daughters. Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi, is also set to co-star, though his role is being kept under wraps. The sequel will find the Wyld Stallyns joined by their children in their quest to save the universe.
Elsewhere, William Sadler will return as Death, and I've gotta say that it would be pretty awesome if Carrigan was playing Death Jr., though I'm not sure why, in that case, he'd be described as Bill and Ted's "relentless adversary" by the Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news of his casting. Carrigan is often seen playing hairless characters because he has Alopecia Areata, so while I can see the resemblance to Sadler's character, it's just as likely that he'll play an unrelated character, one who could even be outfitted with a wig.
Face the Music will arrive in theaters more than 30 years after the original film, 1989's Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, which was followed by 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey. The sequel will find the stakes higher than ever for William “Bill” S. Preston Esq. (Winter) and Theodore “Ted” Logan (Reeves). Yet to fulfill their rock and roll destiny, the now middle-aged best friends set out on a new adventure, when a visitor from the future warns them that only their song can save life as we know it and bring harmony to the universe. Along the way, they will be helped by their families, old friends and a few music legends.
Dean Parisot (Galaxy Quest) is directing from a script by returning franchise writers Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon. Production is slated to start next month in New Orleans. I can't wait to see how they deal with the phone booth issue, since there aren't many left these days given the rise of cell phones. Then again, I doubt much of this film is set in present day, given its time-traveling premise.
Scott Kroopf is producing alongside Alex Lebovici and Steve Ponce of Hammerstone Studios. Steven Soderbergh will be executive producing along with John Ryan Jr., R. Scott Reid, Scott Fischer and John Santilli. David Haring and Patrick W. Dugan are financing the film, which Orion Pictures will release via its United Artists label on Aug. 21, 2020.
Prior to Barry, Carrigan appeared on shows such as Parenthood and The Flash, and he also had a recurring role on Gotham. He's represented by ICM Partners and Schlegel Entertainment.
