Merrily We Roll Along (film)

Merrily We Roll Along
Directed by	Richard Linklater
Screenplay by	Richard Linklater
Based on	Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim George Furth Merrily We Roll Along by George S. Kaufman Moss Hart
Produced by	Jason Blum Ginger Sledge Richard Linklater Jonathan Marc Sherman Mike Blizzard
Starring	Paul Mescal Ben Platt Beanie Feldstein
Edited by	Sandra Adair
Music by	Stephen Sondheim
Production companies	Blumhouse Productions Detour Filmproduction
Country	United States
Language	English

Merrily We Roll Along is an upcoming American epic musical film written and directed by Richard Linklater based on the 1981 stage musical of the same name by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, which is in turn adapted from the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.[1] Jason Blum serves as a producer under his Blumhouse Productions banner.

Premise

Talented Broadway composer Franklin Shepard abandons his friends and career to become a Hollywood producer, told over the course of 20 years in reverse chronological order.[1]

Cast

• Paul Mescal as Franklin Shepard
• Ben Platt as Charley Kringas
• Beanie Feldstein as Mary Flynn

Additionally, Mallory Bechtel has been cast in an undisclosed role.[2]

Production

On August 29, 2019, Blumhouse Productions acquired the rights to make a Merrily We Roll Along film, with Richard Linklater directing the film and producing along with Ginger Sledge, Jason Blum, and Jonathan Marc Sherman. Production on the film was announced to commence every few years to reflect the characters age over 20 years, similar to how Boyhood (also written and directed by Linklater) was shot over 12 years.[1] The film is based on the latest version of Furth's book, which was adapted by Linklater into the film's screenplay.[3]

Blake Jenner was initially cast alongside Feldstein and Platt, but exited the film in late 2019 (after having filmed the "Our Time" sequence) following allegations of domestic abuse made by his ex-wife Melissa Benoist. Actor Paul Mescal took over the role of Franklin Shepard, and footage was reshot between late 2021 and early 2022.[4] Principal photography and the casting of supporting roles were suspended between August and November 2023, due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes.[5] Mallory Bechtel was cast in an undisclosed role in February 2024.[2] Isabela Merced also auditioned for the role.[6] By November 2024, two sequences had been shot.[7]

References

1. Galuppo, Mia (August 29, 2019). "Richard Linklater Musical to Be Filmed Over 20-Year Span". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
2. Grobar, Matt (February 6, 2024). "Richard Linklater's 'Merrilly We Roll Along' Adds Mallory Bechtel To Cast". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
3. Coleman, Nancy (August 30, 2019). "'Merrily' This Film Will Roll Along. For the Next 20 Years". The New York Times. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
4. Sneider, Jeff (January 9, 2023). "Exclusive: Paul Mescal Replaces Blake Jenner in Richard Linklater's 20-Year Movie Merrily We Roll Along". AboveTheLine. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
5. Dalton, Ben (September 5, 2023). "Richard Linklater to resume 'Merrily We Roll Along' filming "pretty soon if we can", talks Hollywood strikes". Screen. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
6. Isabela Merced Shares 15 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About "Turtles All The Way Down," "The Last Of Us" Season 2, And More
7. Paul Mescal’s Road to ‘Gladiator II’: Rejecting ‘Big Studio Franchise-y’ Offers, Convincing Ridley Scott to Let Him Do His Own Stunts and More

External links

• Merrily We Roll Along at IMDb