Paul Mescal’s new movie will take 20 years to make

While the project sounds exciting, we'll be waiting a long time for it...

Fresh off of reports that he will appear in a sequel to Gladiator, Irish actor Paul Mescal has landed another high-profile role. The Kildare-born actor will star in Merrily We Roll Along, a new movie from writer-director Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Dazed and Confused, School of Rock) based on a stage musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth. Mescal will play Franklin Shepard, a talented Broadway composer who abandons his friends and career to become a Hollywood producer, with the story being told over 20 years. However, what makes the musical comedy unique is that - similar to Linklater's previous film Boyhood, which was filmed over 12 years - Merrily We Roll Along will actually shoot over a 20-year span. The project was first announced in 2019 with Blake Jenner (Glee) attached to play the role of Franklin Shepherd. After his casting, however, Jenner became embroiled in allegations of domestic abuse and has since been replaced by the Normal People star. Also, appearing in the musical will be Beanie Feldstein (Booksmart) and Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen). While people will be waiting a long, long time for Merrily We Roll Along, Mescal is also set to appear in a number of other upcoming movies. These include the musical Carmen, the thriller God's Creatures, the sci-fi Foe and the fantasy drama Strangers. Related links:

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