Houston-born, award-winning filmmaker Richard Linklater, known for letting time shape his films — sometimes stretching production over multiple years — says he plans to film the fourth section of his 20-year project, “Merrily We Roll Along,” starring Paul Mescal, in a few months, adding, “See you in 2040.”
The film, based on the 1981 musical by Stephen Sondheim, follows a talented composer of Broadway musicals who abandons his Broadway career to become a Hollywood producer, according to The Hollywood Reporter. During the Zurich Film Festival, Linklater updated Variety reporters about the status of his project.
“Merrily We Roll Along” is based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.
A recent Broadway revival starred Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez and won four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. Linklater said he would be working with Mescal, Beanie Feldstein and Ben Platt, filming over 20 years to mirror the story’s decades-spanning timeline.
Linklater is no stranger to long-term film productions.
Linklater helped define American independent cinema with films such as “Slacker” and “Dazed and Confused.”
He’s also known for long film productions, such as “Boyhood,” which he filmed over 12 years. His “Before” trilogy, starring Austin native Ethan Hawke and French actress Julie Delpy, was filmed nine years apart to use the actors’ real ages to mirror the movie couple’s changing relationship.
“Boyhood” won the Golden Globe for best motion picture – drama, and Patricia Arquette won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her role in the film. The movie returned to theaters for its 12th anniversary in 2026, with an Austin reunion screening featuring Linklater and cast members.
During the Zurich Film Festival, Linklater told Variety reporters that the movie was being filmed in nine sections over 20 years, with the filming of the fourth section beginning in a few months.
“That’s the only way to tell this story,” he said. “But people go: ‘What if someone dies?’ There’s always some extreme thing that would prevent it from being made, but it usually doesn’t happen. You’ve got to be collaborating with the future and just work that into the equation.”