In a groundbreaking move, Sony Pictures will release four Beatles films in April 2028. Sam Mendes is the director. For the first time, Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles gave full rights to a scripted project about The Beatles’ music and life stories. Together, the movies go by The Beatles—A Four-Flim Cinematic Event.
Jack Thorne, Jez Butterworth, and Peter Straughan wrote the scripts. The cast brings fresh faces to the iconic band. Harris Dickinson steps into John Lennon’s shoes; Paul Mescal takes on McCartney; Barry Keoghan becomes Ringo Starr; and Joseph Quinn transforms into George Harrison.
Keoghan met with Starr to study his character. “When I was talking to him, I couldn’t look at him. I was nervous. But he’s like, ‘You can look at me,’” said Keoghan to Jimmy Kimmel.
Each writer brings strong credentials to the table. Thorne composed Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the Enola Holmes series, and Butterworth created Ford v Ferrari and Spectre. Straughan earned an Oscar for Conclave.
Neal Street Productions joins forces with Apple on this venture. Pippa Harris and Julie Pastor will work as producers with Mendes. Alexandra Derbyshire, known for Wonka, rounds out the team.
Each film shows the band’s story through one member’s viewpoint. Sony Pictures hasn’t said if they’ll put out all films at once or space them apart. These movies reflect the growing popularity of biographies of iconic bands and musicians.
The music sets these films apart. The band rarely lets movies use their original songs. Only a few shows like Mad Men and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off made the cut before now.
