Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure Screens at Circle K as Iconic Film Location Closes

The Circle K that appears in the first Bill and Ted movie screened the film to sold out crowds just before the store closed its doors for good.

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Strange things were afoot at the Circle K in Tempe, Arizona. The real-life market was made famous in the cult classic comedy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, which starred Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves as time-traveling teenagers. Their journey begins in a legendary scene when the two encounter Rufus (George Carlin) and alternate versions of themselves in the Circle K parking lot, leading to the two stepping into a phone booth that doubles as a mysterious time machine. Two sequels have since followed with Bill and Ted getting into more misadventures, but it all began at the Circle K.

For decades, the Circle K had become a tourist attraction for Bill & Ted fans due to its place in cinema history. Unfortunately, that particular location, the same place that had Ted remarking that “strange things are afoot at the Circle K,” is preparing to close its doors for good. The store will be closed after more than three decades in operation with its employees getting relocated to other locations. Thursday, May 19, marks the final day of business for the market.

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Per AZ Central, a statement from Circle K reads: “The rumors aren’t bogus. We are planning to close our store at 1010 W. Southern Avenue in Tempe. It’s a location that has enjoyed some most triumphant times in its more than 30 years of serving the Tempe community.”

Related: Why One Crucial Bill and Ted Face the Music Scene Got Cut Before Filming Even Began

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure Made Circle K World Famous

Hosted by Harkins Theaters, the special screenings of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure were sold out. That’s no surprise given the popularity of the film and how this was a now-or-never opportunity to catch the movie at the iconic location, as the Circle K will be closed by the end of the week. The lucky fans in attendance were encouraged to come dressed up as the Wyld Stallyns and they were also treated to an exclusive video of Alex Winter in character as Bill before the film.

The event description reads:

“Party on with the Harkins Popcorn Truck, jam out to ’80s tunes, rival So-crates with your trivia knowledge and take a trip back in time snapping a photo with Bill & Ted’s Excellent phone booth before settling in for the movie. Fans will enjoy the film in loungy beach chairs with the most excellent wireless high-fidelity stereo headphones. Plus, don’t miss a special video intro from “Bill” before the movie!”

Stephen Herek directed Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure using a screenplay by Chris Matheson and Ed Solomon. Released in 1989, the film was a box office success, spawning a franchise that remains popular to this day. A sequel, Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey, was released in 1991. About three decades later, Winter and Keanu Reeves returned once again to the roles of the Wyld Stallyns for the follow-up film Bill & Ted Face the Music, which was released in 2020. All three films have their fans, but for many, nothing will beat the original.

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Jeremy Dick
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Jeremy Dick has been a writer and editor since 2014. He is a self-professed horror expert, pop culture enthusiast, and Bob Saget fanatic.

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