The story of each of the four members of The Beatles — Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — is coming to the big screen. Sam Mendes helms the direction of four separate feature films, one from each Beatles member’s point of view. The Oscar-winning director teams up with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sir Sam’s Neal Street Productions for the movies scheduled to be released in cinemas in 2027.
The press release highlights that film’s focus on the individual stories and perspectives of each star. They finally intersect to “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history,” leading up to their 1970 breakup. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of the late John Lennon and George Harrison have granted full life story and music rights for the scripted films. It is worth mentioning this is the first time The Beatles and their company Apple Corps have done that.
“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies,” Mendes said in a statement.
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Writers or cast have not been revealed, yet. The dating cadence of the films will be announced closer to the films’ release, as well, but Sony Pictures Entertainment ensures they will be “innovative and groundbreaking.” Mendes will also produce alongside his Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris and Neal Street’s Julie Pastor, in addition to directing all four films. Jeff Jones will be executive producer for Apple Corps Ltd.
The acknowledged director of many well-received films like “American Beauty,” war drama “1917,” “Revolutionary Road,” “Empire of Light,” and James Bond films “Skyfall” and “Spectre,” reportedly pondered on this project more than a year ago.
“It’s a testament to his creative brilliance and powers of persuasion that Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sean Lennon and Olivia Harrison responded with such warmth and enthusiasm as soon as he spoke with them,” his production partner Pippa Harris told Deadline.
“What is truly exciting is for Sam to have the freedom to delve into the lives of each of the Beatles, with nothing off limits and no sense of the band wanting him to tell a particular ‘authorised’ version of their rise to success,” she added.
Sony Pictures chairman and CEO Tom Rothman said pairing his [Mendes’] premiere film-making team, with the music and the stories of four young men who changed the world, would rock audiences all over the globe.
“We are deeply grateful to all parties and look forward ourselves to breaking some rules with Sam’s uniquely artistic vision,” Rothman said.
Already considered as international stars by early 1964, “the Fab Four” not only still hold the record for most number-one albums on the U.K. Albums Chart (15), and most number-one hits on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart (20), with estimated sales of 600 million units worldwide, but also pioneered a brand-new style in music industry in terms of sound, lyrics, stage presentation and recording.
By the time of their break-up in 1970 to pursue solo careers, the Beatles had released their best-known hits like “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude,” “All You Need Is Love,” “A Hard Day’s Night,” “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Eight Days A Week,” “Let It Be,” “Come Together,” “Here Comes The Sun,” “Twist and Shout,” “Love Me Do,” and “Help!,” among others.
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The immortal band has been the subject of media projects before, such as Ron Howard’s “The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years” and Peter Jackson’s docu-series “The Beatles: Get Back.” Apart from these documentaries, Sam Taylor-Johnson directed “Nowhere Boy,” a biopic about the early life of John Lennon. Danny Boyle’s 2019 musical romantic comedy film “Yesterday” depicted a world where everyone forgets The Beatles, except for one struggling musician who takes credit for the band’s songs. And, of course, there is “Across The Universe” directed by Julie Taymor, which is centered on songs by the Beatles.
“We intend this to be a uniquely thrilling, and epic cinematic experience: four films, told from four different perspectives which tell a single story about the most celebrated band of all time,” Harris said in a statement. “To have The Beatles’ and Apple Corps’ blessing to do this is an immense privilege.”
