Richard Linklater is pretty confident no one will die while making Merrily We Roll Along

Director Richard Linklater expressed confidence that no one will perish during the 20-year filming schedule of his upcoming film Merrily We Roll Along. Emphasizing the only way to tell this particular story, Linklater reassured that while there may be unforeseen circumstances that could halt productions, they typically do not occur.

At the Zurich Film Festival, Linklater mentioned that the film is based on a play which was later adapted into a Stephen Sondheim musical, tracing the lives of three friends over two decades in reverse chronological order. The Broadway revival of Merrily featured Jonathan Groff, Daniel Radcliffe, and Lindsay Mendez, and received four Tony Awards.

A filmed version of the stage production was released in theaters in December. Paul Mescal will play Franklin Shepard, Ben Platt will portray Charley Kringas, and Beanie Feldstein will embody Mary Flynn. Linklater, who previously spent 12 years filming Boyhood with the same cast capturing a coming-of-age story, hopes to replicate that feat in Merrily We Roll Along.

While acknowledging the differences between the two projects, Linklater expressed excitement about bringing the musical genre to life. However, he also noted the added pressure of being in the public eye for the next two decades, as questions about the film will inevitably arise. In an attempt to anticipate these inquiries, Linklater provided an update on the production timeline, stating that the film is currently divided into nine sections over a 20-year period, with filming for the fourth section beginning in a few months, and the completed movie set to premiere in 2040.