Sam Mendes to Direct Four Beatles Biopics

The ‘American Beauty’ and ‘Skyfall’ director will make one movie each about John, Paul George and Ringo, showing their perspective on the group’s experiences.

(Left) Director Sam Mendes from 'Empire of the Light.' (Right) George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon in 'The Beatles: Eight Days a Week - The Touring Years.'

Preview:

Sam Mendes has a biopic plan for The Beatles.
He’ll make one film about each member’s time in the iconic band.
Apple Corps and the band have granted full life rights.

Everything about The Beatles these days seems to be outsized. You have their legendary status, their record-breaking chart accomplishments and, more recently, Peter Jackson’s epic documentary limited series ‘The Beatles: Get Back’, released on Disney+ in 2021 and running for an astonishing 468 minutes.

The Beatles: Get Back - The Rooftop Concert

"Experience their iconic final performance only in IMAX."

PG-131 hr 5 minJan 30th, 2022

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On the 30th of January, 1969, the Beatles performed an unannounced concert from the rooftop of their Apple Corps headquarters at Savile Row, within central London's... Read the Plot

Do you want to know a secret? Now ‘1917’ and ‘American Beauty’ director Sam Mendes has a plan for something that challenges that in terms of scope and ambition.

While music biopics are all the rage at the moment (the most recent release, ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ has done decent business at the box office, and there’s a film about British singer Amy Winehouse due in May), Mendes is developing something that goes beyond the norm.

He’ll make four films, one for each of the main Beatles –– John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison.

What’s the plan for Sam Mendes’ Beatles films?

(L to R) Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, 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. (not the iPhone gang), 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.

Though a strict time period for what the movies will cover has yet to be announced, the idea is for the stories to (naturally intersect), looking to get a fuller, clearer picture of their time than any one movie could hope to accomplish.

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.”

When will Sam Mendes’ Beatles biopics hit theaters?

Olivia Colman and Sam Mendes on set of the film 'Empire of the Light.'

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? Will they come together? Any way it happens, we’ll dig it.