Richard Linklater - Merrily We Roll Along- Page 2

[joevitus]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 3:54pm

carolinaguy said: "I'm sure the production will be insured against someone croaking. But will it be insured against any of the actors totally going to seed and being ugly af in 20 years? lol Or losing their voices? Or any of the other things that could make them unsuitable for a movie musical over this span of time?



It paid off for Linklater with Boyhood (which was made for $4 million and grossed $44 million), but who knows if lighting will strike twice?"

It paid off financially, but boy what that an aimless pointless movie with a black hole of a lead player. "We saw him age for real!" Yeah, you can do that everyday of the week looking through someone's photo album. Which probably won't seem as unfocused and meandering as Boyhood. 

I happen to like Merrily, despite having been a dresser on a production, which is hell, let me tell you. I think the material has better chance of working on film than a lot of Sondheim's shows, which are so inherently theatrical. But this is the wrong way to go about bringing it to the screen. 

Updated On: 8/29/19 at 03:54 PM

[Roscoe]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 3:59pm

I'm waiting for the "just kidding" alarm to go off from Linklater....

[DMsquared2]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 4:02pm

I think this is a very interesting idea but I really admire Linklater's optimism that the world will still be around 20 years from now. 

[aliceripleyofficial]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 4:03pm

Pose2 said: "CT2NYC said: "Pose2 said: "It's great to be Ben Platt's best friend nowadays!"

I'd say that Beanie Feldstein's success has very little to do with Ben Platt, and she's arguably a bigger film star than he is."

She has been in three films in a featured roleand only got them after he became popular. Also, right after Ben worked with Ryan Murphy, she was cast as Monica Lewinsky. You are fooling yourself if you don't think her family and Ben had anything to do with her success because it 100% does. A film STAR? That is the funniest thing I've read all day."

This is sexist af, she was filming Lady Bird when Scott Rudin watched the dailies and offered her Minnie Fae in Dolly. She then followed that up with a lead role in Booksmart and *the* lead role in How to Build a Girl which premieres at TIFF this year... The average person is far more acquainted with Beanie as Lady Bird was cultural phenomenon whereas DEH is a musical that's struck a chord with teenagers and unsophisticated theatergoers. Both Beanie and Ben have bright careers ahead of them and to say their success relies on that of the other's is ridiculous- BUT it should be noted that Ben's father is Marc Platt and Beanie's brother is Jonah Hill lolololololol

 

Updated On: 8/29/19 at 04:03 PM

[binau]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 4:42pm

It’s kind of sad that Sondheim will be dead when it is released/if it ever gets released.

Updated On: 8/29/19 at 04:42 PM

[Pose2]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 4:52pm

jaffanout said: "And Will & Grace isn't a movie so I'm not sure what the relevance is there.

You aren't sure what the relevance is when Ben was cast on Will and Grace and she was just there because they are best friends? Ok.

And, again, Ben just worked with Ryan Murphy on The Politician, he clearly had influence over him. Her being cast as Monica is laughable.  At least in Versace, Darren Criss actually resembled Andrew Cunanan. 

[Dancingthrulife2]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 5:12pm

I’m a big fan of Ben’s music and stage performances, but I have to admit I do find it difficult to see him as Frank if he still keeps some of the mannerism that he got from Dear Evan Hansen. I sincerely hope he proves me wrong.

[JSquared2]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 5:16pm

Pose2 said: "jaffanout said: "And Will & Grace isn't a movie so I'm not sure what the relevance is there.

You aren't sure what the relevance is when Ben was cast on Will and Grace and she was just there because they are best friends? Ok.

And, again, Ben just worked with Ryan Murphy on The Politician, he clearly had influence over him. Her being cast as Monica is laughable.At least in Versace, Darren Criss actually resembled Andrew Cunanan."

 

Right--no resemblance whatsover!!!

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 5:35pm

Pose2 said: "jaffanout said: "And Will & Grace isn't a movie so I'm not sure what the relevance is there.

You aren't sure what the relevance is when Ben was cast on Will and Grace and she was just there because they are best friends? Ok.

And, again, Ben just worked with Ryan Murphy on The Politician, he clearly had influence over him. Her being cast as Monica is laughable.At least in Versace, Darren Criss actually resembled Andrew Cunanan."

You're acting as if Beanie isn't in the industry. They're celebrities, and they run in the same circles. I don't doubt that she was on the set of The Politician at some point, and maybe she and Ryan Murphy got to talking. Who knows? However, the implication that Ben Platt is running around whispering in people's ears to get her roles is just...weird.

[A Director]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 5:43pm

Talk about AIRHEADS.

" The play takes place over the course of 20 years, and sources say that Linklater plans to stay true to that timeline."

Nowhere in the article does it state Linklater is going to take 20 years to film it.  The musical covers TWENTY YEARS.

[FactsAreFacts]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 5:46pm

A Director said: "Talk about AIRHEADS.

"The play takes place over the course of 20 years, and sources say that Linklater plans to stay true to that timeline."

Nowhere in the article does it state Linklater is going to take 20 years to film it. The musical covers TWENTY YEARS."

Just in case you don't believe it will be shot over 20 years, here's the tweet from the person who wrote the article that you are quoting:

https://twitter.com/TheInSneider/status/1167137473681428480

[ImaginaryManticore]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 5:58pm

YES!*

Um, am I the only one who gasped with delight at this news? Followed by despair when I realised it would be released when the world will probably be a burning wasteland. But I really want this to happen, and why not be a bit experimental with the methods? It will at least add some level of curiosity to it for people who don't know the show. For all we know the movie musical will have died another death in 20 years' time.

I enjoy both actors' performances a lot and would love to see them in the roles. Also, I don't think it matters how they got the parts or whether they're big enough stars. As if any big actors in Hollywood would have fought them for those parts.

* Merrily We Roll Along is my favourite Sondheim musical! *runs*

[darquegk]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 6:01pm

Will it work on camera in real time with actors today? The ravages of middle age look much subtler today than they did in the seventies. Ben Platt will not be stout and balding with a cigar and whiskey voice and gin blossoms on his nose in twenty years. He’ll look like a slightly greying, well preserved version of himself. And Beanie has the sort of round facial structure that ages into itself well: see Katy Mixon, who looks better now than she did ten years ago.

If you’d already need special effects to show that in twenty years these people are husks of their former selves, this long form experiment is probably not worth the time sunk into it.

[binau]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 6:04pm

Ben Platt will almost certainly be bald in 10 years let alone 20. Seems like a good choice to me?

Updated On: 8/29/19 at 06:04 PM

[TheSassySam]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 6:11pm

I feel like whenever a film adaptation of a play or musical gets announced, this board goes off saying it's the worst idea ever created. 

Why do you drown yourself in pessimism? This project is ambitious and I welcome it. If it was released 20 years from today, I will be 48 and be ecstatic to see it. 

I hope Sondheim has some sort of cameo in the film. 

[jaffanout]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 6:12pm

Pose2 said: "jaffanout said: "And Will & Grace isn't a movie so I'm not sure what the relevance is there.

You aren't sure what the relevance is when Ben was cast on Will and Grace and she was just there because they are best friends? Ok.

And, again, Ben just worked with Ryan Murphy on The Politician, he clearly had influence over him. Her being cast as Monica is laughable.At least in Versace, Darren Criss actually resembled Andrew Cunanan."

No, I don't see the relevance of Will & Grace to a Richard Linklater film. Nor the relevance of The Politician to a Linklater film.

Do I think Richard Linklater, renowned director of indie films needs Ben Platt of all people to point him in the direction of Beanie Feldstein, star of renowned indie films? No. Pretty sure Linklater will have seen her in Lady Bird two years ago when as a member of the Academy, he voted for the Academy Awards, where that film was nominated. 

Updated On: 8/29/19 at 06:12 PM

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 6:20pm

Oy Vey...i will be 91 in 20 years if i live so long (my mother lived to 101)...but i do hope it will be filmed AS IF 20 years goes backward...Ben is certainly the right current age as is Beanie...this has my favorite Sondheim score so i am hoping this is something that happens...sooner of course than later!

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 6:23pm

FactsAreFacts said: "A Director said: "Talk about AIRHEADS.

"The play takes place over the course of 20 years, and sources say that Linklater plans to stay true to that timeline."

Nowhere in the article does it state Linklater is going to take 20 years to film it. The musical covers TWENTY YEARS."

Just in case you don't believe it will be shot over 20 years, here's the tweet from the person who wrote the article that you are quoting:

https://twitter.com/TheInSneider/status/1167137473681428480"

A Director, who's the AIRHEAD now, huh?  I thought "plans to stay true to that timeline" was crystal clear.

Updated On: 8/29/19 at 06:23 PM

[binau]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 6:39pm

CT2NYC said: "FactsAreFacts said: "A Director said: "Talk about AIRHEADS.

"The play takes place over the course of 20 years, and sources say that Linklater plans to stay true to that timeline."

Nowhere in the article does it state Linklater is going to take 20 years to film it. The musical covers TWENTY YEARS."

Just in case you don't believe it will be shot over 20 years, here's the tweet from the person who wrote the article that you are quoting:

https://twitter.com/TheInSneider/status/1167137473681428480"

A Director, who's the AIRHEAD now, huh? I thought "plans to stay true to that timeline" was crystal clear."

As the great Patti LuPone has said and will soon say...Everybody RIIIIISEEEEE. RISSSSSSSEEE. RISSSSEEEEEEEEEREEEEE

[sabrelady]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 7:12pm

qolbinau said: "Ben Platt will almost certainly be bald in 10 years let alone 20. Seems like a good choice to me?"

What? U nevah hoid of hair plugs bubbalah?

Dontcha worry 'bout Ben. His family knows how a lil discreet  maintenance prolongs a career.

[PepperedShepherd]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 7:56pm

Wait. Ben is playing Franklin Shepard??? The money-hungry, charismatic, womanizing Toast-of-the-Town and Hollywood sell-out? I can't see that at all.

As Charley, yes. But Franklin? Not in a million years.

[JBroadway]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 8:01pm

^I agree, and it's interesting because I thought the recent Fiasco revival had the same problem (among other problems) - an obvious Charley cast in the role of Frank. I guess every male actor wants to see himself as a Frank rather than a Charley, and if they have any casting leverage, they can take their pick regardless of which role they're best suited for. 

[DAME]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 8:10pm

Meh

[bk]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 8:32pm

Roscoe said: "I'm waiting for the "just kidding" alarm to go off from Linklater...."

Exactly.  The Hollywood Reporter says that the first segment has already wrapped principal photography.  So, no one in all of show business knew this was happening, not a single person anywhere, in this day and age?  How do you keep that a secret exactly?  Furthermore, the director will be seventy-nine in twenty years.  Mr. Sondheim will be long gone in twenty years.  Is this actually placed with a studio because who knows what this business is going to be like in twenty years?  This smells like a big kettle of rotted turd to me.

[CT2NYC]

Posted: 8/29/19 at 8:34pm

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/richard-linklater-film-merrily-we-roll-along-be-shot-20-years-1235414