Landmark Beatles biopics from 1917 director Sam Mendes announced
The Beatles are too legendary a musical act to be contained in just one biopic.
James Bond and 1917 filmmaker Sir Sam Mendes will direct four (yes, four) feature films exploring the story of The Beatles, with each one taking place from the perspective of an individual member of the band.
The group comprised Liverpudlian lads Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison and John Lennon, with many fans regarding them among the greatest and most influential musical acts of all time.
Followers will soon be getting an inside look at how The Beatles' meteoric rise to fame impacted each member individually through an ambitious series of connected and theatrically released films.
The four-picture deal marks a major collaboration between several parties, including McCartney, Starr, the families of Harrison and Lennon, plus Sony Pictures, Apple Corps and Mendes's Neal Street Productions.
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There will be points where the films intersect, giving viewers multiple vantage points of the band's most defining moments, with Mendes granted full life story and music rights for the projects.
All four films will be released in cinemas in 2027, with Sony Pictures promising an "innovative and groundbreaking" release strategy, which will be detailed at a later date.
Mendes, who directed 007 films Skyfall and Spectre, said in a statement: "I'm honoured 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."
Producer Pippa Harris continued: "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."
Tom Rothman, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures' Motion Picture Group, added: "Theatrical movie events today must be culturally seismic. Sam's daring, large-scale idea is that and then some.
"Pairing his premiere filmmaking team, with the music and the stories of four young men who changed the world, will 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."
Casting for the film is yet to be announced, but expect speculation to be rife in the coming months for what will be fiercely sought after roles.
The quadrilogy of Beatles flicks have the potential to be the biggest music biopics of all time, following in the footsteps of recent hits including Bohemian Rhapsody, Elvis, Straight Outta Compton and One Love, which shot to number one in the US last week.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.