For the first time ever, the story of The Beatles is going to be turned into scripted film – and not just one movie, but four, each one from the perspective of one of the members of the legendary British rock band.
Set for theatrical release in 2027, the four movies will be directed by Sam Mendes, known for his work as director on American Beauty, Road To Perdition, Revolutionary Road and the 2015 James Bond flick Spectre, among others.
The unprecedented four-movie project was reportedly conceived of by Mendes, who made the news public on Tuesday (February 20), in conjunction with Sony Pictures Entertainment and Apple Corps Ltd., the multimedia company formed by the four members of The Beatles in 1968 to oversee the band’s creative and business interests. The company administers the band’s recorded catalog and film, theatrical and book publishing rights.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with the families of John Lennon and George Harrison, have all granted full life story and music rights for the films.
Sony Pictures is staying mum on the specific release schedule for the movies, but promises it will be “innovative and groundbreaking.”
The announcement comes in the wake of a number of successful movies centered around musical artists in recent years, including the 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, which helped cement the British band as a perennial fan favorite, and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, which has become the highest-grossing concert and documentary film in history.
“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.”
Sam Mendes, director
Mendes will direct all four of the Beatles movies, and will also co-produce them with Pippa Harris and Julie Pastor of Neal Street Productions, the production company Mendes co-founded with Harris and Caro Newling in 2003.
Sony Pictures will provide financing and worldwide distribution.
“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.
“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.
“To have The Beatles’ and Apple Corps’ blessing to do this is an immense privilege. From our first meeting with Tom Rothman [Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group] and Elizabeth Gabler [President of Sony Pictures’ 3000 Pictures], it was clear that they shared both our passion and ambition for this project, and we can’t think of a more perfect home than Sony Pictures.”
Jeff Jones, CEO of Apple Corps, said the company 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. Sony Pictures’ enthusiastic support, championing the project’s scope and creative vision from the start, has been invaluable for all of us.”
“Theatrical movie events today must be culturally seismic. Sam’s daring, large-scale idea is that and then some.”
Tom Rothman, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group
“I know I speak for our CEO Tony Vinciquerra, who was instrumental in making this happen, and every Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group colleague around the world when I say: ‘yeah, yeah, yeah!’” Rothman said.
“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.”
Last year, Apple Corps worked with Capitol Records and Universal Music Enterprises to release Now And Then, a song that John Lennon wrote and recorded onto a boombox in his New York apartment in 1978, two years before he was assassinated.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr relied on AI technology to salvage the song, which could not previously be released due to the low sound quality.
“The last Beatles song,” as it was dubbed, was released on November 2.Music Business Worldwide
