Ben Platt, Beanie Feldstein to Star in Film Adaptation of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG

Filmmaker Richard Linklater will direct a multi-year film adaptation of Merrily We Roll Along starring Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein, according to Collider.

The film is an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical, which was based on the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.

The play takes place over the course of 20 years, and Linklater will stay true to that timeline for his film.

Merrily We Roll Along follows Franklin Shepard, a talented Broadway composer who abandons his theater career in New York and all his friends in order to produce movies in Los Angeles. Like the play, the musical begins at the height of his Hollywood fame and moves backwards in time, showing snapshots of the most important moments in Frank's life that shaped the man he is today.

Tony-winner Platt will play Charley Kringas, while Feldstein will portray theatre critic Mary Flynn. Blake Jenner will play Frank Shepard.

According to Collider, the film is being shot in reverse chronological order, as the play and musical end when the characters are in their mid-20s and just embarking on their entertainment careers.

Platt is best known for starring in the Broadway musical Dear Evan Hansen. He also starred in the first two Pitch Perfect movies. He will be seen next in Ryan Murphy's upcoming Netflix series The Politician.

Feldstein recently starred in Olivia Wilde's directorial debut, Booksmart. She also had roles in the comedy film Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising andin Greta Gerwig's comedy-drama film Lady Bird. In 2017 she joined the cast of Hello, Dolly! on Broadway, alongside Bette Midler.

Read the original article on Collider.