Oscar-winning filmmaker Sam Mendes has signed on to direct four upcoming scripted biopics about The Beatles, each one told from the point-of-view of a different Fab Four member.
The four-film project, which was conceived by Mendes, is expected to debut in 2027. According to a press statement, the movies “will intersect to tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.”
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The project marks the first time that Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles have granted the full rights to the band members’ music and life stories for use in a scripted movie. Representing the group are surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and the families of the late John Lennon and George Harrison.
The approach to releasing the films “will be innovative and groundbreaking,” the press statement reports. The movies will be financed and distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
In addition to directing the films, Mendes will serve as co-producer along with his Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris and the company’s Julie Pastor. The project will be executive produced by Apple Corps Ltd. CEO Jeff Jones.
Statements and Comments from the Project’s Producers
“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.
Added Harris, “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.”
Meanwhile, Jones shared, “Apple Corps is delighted to collaborate with Sam, Pippa and Julie to explore each Beatle’s unique story and to bring them together in a suitably captivating and innovative way.”
Harris also shared some details with Deadline about how the project came about.
“This project springs from an idea of Sam’s which he had over a year ago,” she said. “[I]t’s a testament to his creative brilliance and powers of persuasion that Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, [John’s son] Sean Lennon and [George’s widow] Olivia Harrison responded with such warmth and enthusiasm as soon as he spoke with them.”
About Sam Mendes
Mendes won an Academy Award in 2000 for directing American Beauty. He also was nominated for best director in 2020 for the film 1917. Mendes also directed Road to Perdition, Revolutionary Road, Empire of Light, and the James Bond films Skyfall and Spectre.
Other Beatles Biopics
Previous theatrical films about The Beatles or the band’s members include Backbeat (1994) and Nowhere Boy (2009). In addition, Midas Man, a biopic about late Beatles manager Brian Epstein, is due out in 2024.
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