Fans of Richard Linklater’s Boyhood were disappointed following the film’s lack of success at the Academy Awards. For some, that disappointment floated into anger, with many probably staggering down the streets mumbling, “but it took 12 years to film.”
The good news is that an Oscar loss doesn’t discount any of the great stuff the movie has to offer. Even better news is the idea that Richard Linklater might not be done telling the story of Mason Evans, Jr. Linklater sat down with Jeff Goldsmith on The Q&A Podcast and hinted that a sequel might be in the works:
To be honest… this film first met its audience exactly a year ago and for the first six months of the year, my answer to that was absolutely not. This was twelve years, it was first grade through 12th grade; it was about getting out of high school. I had no idea about another story, there’s nothing to say. It hadn’t crossed my mind.
But I don’t know if it’s been a combination of finally feeling that this is over or being asked a similar question a bunch over the last year, that I thought, well, I wake up in the morning thinking, ‘the 20s are pretty formative, you know?’” he admitted. “That’s where you really become who you’re going to be. It’s one thing to grow up and go to college, but it’s another thing to… So, I will admit my mind has drifted towards [this sequel idea].(via)
The one sticking point with making a sequel to Boyhood would be the shooting schedule. Producing a movie over 12 years isn’t exactly the kind of thing that is normal. Sure, there’s plenty of unintentional examples from independent film (David Lynch with Eraserhead), but trying to replicate a monumental production like Boyhood would be tough. Luckily, Linklater might be taking the film in another direction:
The twelve years [structure] came out of [school structure]. It wouldn’t have to be twelve years. It wouldn’t have to be… I mean, who knows. I mean, if I learned anything on the ‘Before’ trilogy it took five years to realize that Jesse and Celine were still alive and had anything to say. This one would probably be more accelerated, but who knows.(via)
Does Boyhood warrant a sequel? Obviously Linklater can and will do what he pleases when it comes to filmmaking, so I’d say the question doesn’t matter. The only thing that missing would be the transformation on screen. Going from first grade to senior year is quite the change, but going through your twenties is more emotionally transforming.
I’m not so sure about a physical change of the same nature. Then again, I might just be a weirdo who is still dressing like he did in high school. Cut offs and Hawaiian shirts.
(Via IndieWire / The Q&A Podcast / Slash Film)
