'Bill & Ted' writers reveal the origin of the iconic characters (exclusive)

1980s classic Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, starring Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter as a pair of clueless teenagers, is back with a brand new 4K remaster.

The ultra high definition re-release of the time-travelling romp is available in cinemas or on 4K Ultra HD right now, and to celebrate we’ve got an exclusive clip from the extras to share. It shows the film’s writers Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon pinpointing exactly how, where, when and why they created Ted "Theodore" Logan (Reeves) and Bill S. Preston, Esquire (Winter).

Matheson says the duo were initially conceived during private improv sessions with their comedian friends, at a Hollywood theatre to they used to rent out for $20.

One skit they came up involved three guys ‘sitting around trying to study, without having any idea about what they’re talking about,” explains Solomon.

Read more: Studio execs ‘hated’ Bill & Ted, reveals director

“[They were] really, really ignorant teenage boys who know nothing about anything, trying to talk about world affairs,” adds Matheson. “It had nothing to do with history at that point. It was just current events.”

“Everything was either ‘bogus’ or ‘excellent’,” reminisces Solomon, explaining where the character’s catchphrases originated from.

This evolved into the characters we meet in Excellent Adventure, who are on the verge of flunking out of their history class, before they meet Rufus and his time-travelling phone booth. Reeves and Winter reprised their roles in 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey and in the upcoming Bill & Ted Face The Music, coming to UK cinemas soon.

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure is available now on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD, Zavvi Exclusive Steelbook and digital download.