Richard Linklater to Adapt Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Merrily We

Richard Linklater, who earned an Oscar nomination for steering “Boyhood” over the course of 12 years, is embarking on an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s 1981 stage musical “Merrily We Roll Along” that can be filmed over the subsequent 20 years.

Ben Platt (“Pitch Perfect”), Beanie Feldstein (“Booksmart”) and Blake Jenner (“Everybody Wants Some!!”) will star within the challenge, which follows the careers and lives of three aspiring inventive skills over 20 years — however is informed in reverse.

The challenge was introduced Thursday by Blumhouse, which is producing the movie via Jason Blum. Linklater, Ginger Sledge, and Jonathan Marc Sherman are additionally producing.

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Created by Sondheim and George Furth and based mostly on the 1934 play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, “Merrily We Roll Along” is a tragicomic story about Franklin (Platt), a gifted Broadway composer who grew to become a wealthy Hollywood producer at the price of shedding his pals, his marriage, and his rules. The authentic Broadway manufacturing notoriously closed after simply 16 efficiency however lived on because of hit songs like “Not a Day Goes By” and “Old Friends.”

The story unfolds in reverse chronological order, going again in time to indicate step-by-step how Franklin slowly bought out for fame and fortune.

As with “Boyhood,” Linklater is filming with the identical solid to permit them to age with their roles, with the ultimate scene already shot. In addition to Platt,   Feldstein performs Frank’s longtime author Mary Flynn whereas Jenner performs Franklin’s writing associate and lyricist Charley Kringas.

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“I first saw, and fell in love with ‘Merrily’ in the ’80s and I can’t think of a better place to spend the next 20 years than in the world of a Sondheim musical. I don’t enter this multi-year experience lightly, but it seems the best, perhaps the only way, to do this story justice on film,” Linklater stated in an announcement.

Rick Pappas brokered the deal on behalf of the authors of the musical, Stephen Sondheim & George Furth.

Beanie Feldstein is repped by Brillstein, WME, and Danny Passman (lawyer). Ben Platt is repped by CAA, One Entertainment, Adam Mersel and Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer. Blake Jenner is repped by Atlas Artists, CAA, Viewpoint, and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. The challenge was first reported by Collider.