(Left) Barry Keoghan in ‘Masters of the Air,’ premiering January 26, 2024 on Apple TV+. (Right) Ringo Starr in ‘A Hard Day’s Night’. Photo: United Artists.
Preview:
- Ringo Starr says Barry Keoghan will play him for director Sam Mendes’ ambitious multi-biopic plan
- He’ll make one film about each member’s time in the iconic band.
- Apple Corps and the band have granted full life rights.
Back in February, news first broke that Sam Mendes, the director behind movies such as ‘American Beauty,’ ‘Skyfall’ and most recently ‘Empire of Light’ had hatched an ambitious plan to make a biopic of legendary music group The Beatles.
In fact, his idea was not to simply make one about the Liverpool-based supergroup whose music has dominated corners of the public consciousness for years, but four –– one each for members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison, their stories intertwining to produce a fuller picture of their rise to pop and rock stardom in the 1960s.
Naturally, there has been feverish speculation about which rising stars or establish actors might be cast to play the four Beatles (not to mention those who were in the group before they hit it big and any appropriate partners etc.)
Nothing has been officially announced yet, though now we have Ringo Starr saying he’s heard that ‘Saltburn’ and ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’s Barry Keoghan is in line to play him.
Here’s what Starr told Entertainment Tonight about the potential casting:
“I think it’s great. I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many.”
Yep, Ringo’s got jokes.
What’s the plan for Sam Mendes’ Beatles films?
(L to R) George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon in ‘The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years.’
With the backing of Sony Pictures Classics –– not to mention being granted full life story and music rights by Beatles holding company Apple Corps Ltd. (no, not the company behind the Mac), surviving members McCartney and Starr and the families of deceased colleagues Lennon and Harrison –– Mendes will make four different biopics, covering each Beatles’ experiences during the band’s rise to massive popularity.
A strict time period for what the movies will cover has yet to be announced.
Here’s what Mendes had to say about the project:
“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.”
And this is the statement from Mendes’ Neal Street Productions partner Pippa 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. To have The Beatles’ and Apple Corps’ blessing to do this is an immense privilege. From our first meeting with [Sony execs] Tom Rothman and Elizabeth Gabler, 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.”
Related Article: Sam Mendes Has Ambitious Plans For A Biopic About Each of The Beatles
Who else has been rumored for Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics?
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
At this point, we can only imagine the size of the casting net Mendes and his producers have been throwing for the project, not to mention the clamoring of agents to get their clients either a meeting or an audition.
As for the other main Beatles, the rumors so far have swirled around ‘Gladiator II’s Paul Mescal circling the role of Paul McCartney, ‘The Iron Claw’s Harris Dickinson linked to John Lennon, and Mescal’s fellow ‘Gladiator II’ actor Joseph Quinn (who will also be appearing in next year’s ‘Fantastic Four’ movie for Marvel) to portray George Harrison.
Essentially, it’s been a who’s who of who’s hot. Mendes, of course, will make his choice in due time (assuming he hasn’t already) and we’ll have to wait for a big announcement to see who actually ends up on screen.
Mendes’ movies will be highly anticipated, and not just for the scope of their ambition –– you need to find a way to stand out in the music biopic business; just look at the upcoming film on the life of Robbie Williams, which sees the pop star brought to life as a CG ape.
The Beatles, of course, are on a whole other level.
And interest in them continues to be high –– we’ve only just seen the latest documentary about the group, ‘Beatles ‘64’, which blends previously-shown footage with some new interviews.
When will Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics hit theaters?
(L to R) Olivia Colman and Sam Mendes on set of the film ‘Empire of the Light.’ Photo by Parisa Taghizadeh, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
Given the scope of the movies, the current aim is to have the movies in theaters by 2027, with the plan for their release dates still to be announced. Will we see them release a month apart? Spread out across the years? It’s too early to tell.
But here’s what Sony chief Tom Rothman told The Hollywood Reporter about his plans:
“You have to match the boldness of the idea with a bold release strategy. There hasn’t been an enterprise like this before, and you can’t think about it in traditional releasing terms.”
(L to R) Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon in ‘The Beatles: Get Back – The Rooftop Concert.’