The Beatles are one of the most iconic, culture-shifting bands in history and it will take some serious acting chops to portray each of the band’s four members on-screen. Luckily, the newly-announced cast of Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics are up to the challenge.
After much speculation, the cast of Mendes’ upcoming films has been confirmed, with the director officially announcing his Fab Four at CinemaCon this afternoon. The quartet of films (one for each member of the band) will star Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.
The casting is only half surprising, given Ridley Scott — who directed the Mescal-fronted Gladiator II, which premiered last year — accidentally spilled the beans that the actor was attached to the flick. Starr himself also teased Keoghan’s involvement in an interview last year, and various reports have previously speculated on Quinn and Dickinson’s involvement, too.
The project has the blessing of living band members McCartney and Starr, and of the families of the late Lennon and Harrison.
How Many Beatles Movies Will There Be?
Mendes is directing four Beatles films, one for each member of the band.
“We’re not just making one film about the Beatles — we’re making four,” Mendes said at CinemaCon, per The Guardian. “Perhaps this is a chance to understand them a little more deeply.”
He told the crowd he had been trying to make a single film about the group “for years, but I finally gave up”, as the “story was too big for one film” and he didn’t want to make a TV series.
“There had to be a way to tell the epic story for a new generation,” he told the crowd, per The Guardian, adding: “I can assure you there is still plenty left to explore and I think we found a way to do that.”
Beatles Biopic Cast
The Beatles film will see Harris Dickinson play John Lennon, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.
No other cast members have been announced yet.
Shōgun star Anna Sawai was, at one point, rumoured to be on board as Yoko Ono. However, he has since dismissed it, saying, “I think a rumour is just a rumour,” per Deadline.
Beatles Movies Release Date
All Beatles biopics will land in theatres in April 2028. Yes, you read that right — it seems all four films will be released at once.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sony exec. Tom Rothman described the four-film biopic as “the first binge-able theatrical experience”.
You best believe we’re strapped in for this one…
Watch here for updates.
