This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCLA chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

Paul Mescal is in a musical, and you won’t get to see it until 2040.

That’s right, readers. Paul Mescal is not only a theatre kid, but he’s bringing a fan favorite to the big screen. Merrily We Roll Along, a musical by Stephen Sondheim (writer of West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and so many more) follows three friends and their 20-year journey through their careers, relationships, and friendship. Franklin Shepherd (Mescal) finds himself lonely after abandoning a career as a Broadway producer to make it big in Hollywood. His two friends, Charlie Kringas and Mary Flynn are set to be played by Ben Platt and Beanie Feldstein, rounding out an incredibly talented trio.

The catch is that the film won’t be released until 2040, as director Richard Linklater wants the film to be accurately shot, moving through a real 20 years of life. The studios backing the film are Blumhouse and Universal, which is both a risky and exciting choice for two production deities. It is rumored that they’ve already shot two sequences over their last 5 years of shooting, which leaves us only 15 more years to go!

This show has a bit of a tortured past, as it unsuccessfully opened on Broadway in the 1980s, only running for 16 performances, and closing with a thud. It was then revived again in 2024, and was a smash success starring Broadway favorites Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez. This production earned Radcliffe and Groff a Tony Award and got two others for the production as a whole. There is a filmed version of the show shot Hamilton style that will be released nationwide December 5th, which I highly recommend watching.

This is a big risk that requires an unbelievable amount of time, and a hefty monetary investment, but good things take time, and hopefully this will pan out well for the cast and creatives.

Now, for everyone’s favorite part- let’s talk about undercover theatre kids.

Paul MescaL: Did you know Paul played The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera in high school, as well as Javert in Les Miserables? No? Click the link above to see the video.
David Corenswet: The Juilliard-trained smoke show that is our Superman dons a career deeply rooted in theater, with his training being Shakespeare-forward, and his voice as pure as gold. To hear a video of him actually singing, click this link to see his performance with the Disney Performing Arts program.
Sarah Jessica Parker: Our Carrie Bradshaw and my personal fashion blogger icon Mrs. Sarah Jessica Parker began her career on Broadway. Before landing the role of the iconic New York City shoe-hoarder, Parker starred as Annie from 1979-1980 in the Broadway production of Annie, as well as Princess Winnifred in the 1996 Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress. After Sex and the City she went on to star in many more stage productions, even getting to perform with real-life husband, and Ferris Bueller star Matthew Broderick. This is the iconic song Shy from Once Upon a Mattress performed at The Tony Awards in 1997.
Anna Kendrick: Anna Kendrick, widely known for her melodic voice in various popular films like Pitch Perfect and Into the Woods actually began her career on Broadway. At just 12 years old, she made her Broadway debut in the 1998 production of High Society, a role that earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
Tom holland: Tom Holland began his career on stage playing Billy Elliot in the 2010 London production of Billy Elliot. He was scouted for the role through his dance studio where he was taking Hip Hop at the time, and once casting saw how perfect he was for the role, they quickly stuck him in ballet lessons. Four years later, he was playing the titular role in the four-time Olivier winning phenomenon.

Paul Mescal is Headed Back to His Theatre Roots, Plus 5 Actors You Didn’t Know Were Hardcore Theatre Kids

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