Merrily We Roll Along: All We Know About Richard Linklater's 20 Years Project

Imagine agreeing to a movie that won’t be finished until 2040. That’s exactly what filmmaker Richard Linklater is doing with Merrily We Roll Along, his adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s classic musical. If you think that sounds insane — you’re right. But this is Linklater, the guy who made Boyhood over 12 years just to capture real growth and aging. This time, he’s doubling down. The plan? Film over two decades. No aging makeup, no fancy CGI. Just time doing its job.

What’s It About (And Why It’s So Unique)

Merrily We Roll Along follows Franklin Shepard, a talented composer whose glittering Hollywood life slowly falls apart — told in reverse. The story rewinds through 20 years of broken friendships, ambition, and regret. It’s based on the 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, which inspired Sondheim’s 1981 musical. Linklater’s film version mirrors that structure — rolling the years backward, scene by scene.

So, when the movie finally releases, you’ll literally watch people de-age — naturally. Forget Benjamin Button; this is the real deal.

The Cast That’s Growing Up With The Film

The project stars:

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

They’re playing three best friends whose bond stretches (and breaks) under fame and time. Originally, Glee actor Blake Jenner was set to play Franklin, but he exited in 2023, and Mescal, of Normal People fame, stepped in. That’s probably the best casting twist the timeline could’ve delivered.

Principal photography started in 2019, and Linklater plans to shoot small chunks every few years. He confirmed in 2025 that they’ve already filmed around one-third of the story. Only about 15 years to go. No biggie.

Why Linklater Is Playing the Long Game

In a new interview with Screen Daily, Linklater said he’s fascinated by how time changes people — not just their faces, but their spirits. “I love living inside a project for a long time,” he explained. That’s his signature. From Boyhood to the Before trilogy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight), Linklater’s storytelling thrives on patience, emotional realism, and, apparently, decades of filming.

Merrily We Roll Along just pushes that passion to its absolute limit.

The Risks (and the Fun)

A 20-year shoot sounds romantic — but it’s also risky. Anything could change: actors’ careers, the economy, or, you know, the planet. Even Linklater admits they’re “pushing fate.” Still, there’s something thrilling about watching a filmmaker literally grow old with his story. Plus, by 2040, Paul Mescal might have multiple Oscars — and fans will get to see exactly where it all started.

In an era where studios rush sequels yearly, Merrily We Roll Along is the opposite of instant gratification. It’s about commitment, art, and time itself. Sure, it might take two decades to finish. But when it finally drops, we’ll have lived through an entire generation waiting for it. And honestly? That’s kind of beautiful.

So here’s to Linklater, Mescal, Platt, and Feldstein — may they keep rolling merrily till 2040.

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