Imagine if Liverpool’s finest were getting their own Marvel-style origin stories, but with fewer capes and more chord progressions. Acclaimed director Sam Mendes has taken on the Herculean task of crafting not one, not two, but four separate feature films, each told from the perspective of a different Beatle. That is John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, for those living under a rock. This bold storytelling experiment needed writers who could turn a cultural earthquake into cinematic poetry.
Enter the Holy Trinity of screenwriting, ready to spin gold from guitar strings and genius.
These fab three are rewriting The Beatles’ legacy
The holy screenwriting trinity, Tony Award winner Jez Butterworth, Academy Award winner Peter Straughan, and BAFTA and Tony Award winner Jack Thorne, has officially signed on to script Sam Mendes’ ambitious Beatles biopic quadrilogy,
Sony Pictures is backing the entire cinematic experiment, clearly unfazed by the chaos of managing four global icons, one vision, and likely eighteen different guitar solos per script, all set to release by April 2028.
Peter Straughan (“Conclave”) & Jack Thorne (“Adolescence”) are among the writers of ‘THE BEATLES’ movies from Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes.
Starring Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, Joseph Quinn & Barry Keoghan. pic.twitter.com/ah1l2u86JU
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) May 7, 2025
Apple Corps Ltd. has, for the very first time, unlocked its musical vault and biographical blessing for cinema. The actors chosen, Harris Dickinson, Barry Keoghan, Paul Mescal, and Joseph Quinn, each resemble a Beatle caught mid-rehearsal and mid-existential crisis. Together, these productions promise a spectacle equal parts rhythm, revolution, and Ringo. All signs point to a cinematic saga with more buzz than a studio exec at a Beatles tribute night.
With the stage set for a revolutionary cinematic experience, audiences can expect much more than just an homage to the Fab Four.
Expect Guitars, glory and a lot of genius
Sam Mendes’ direction, combined with the talents of Jez Butterworth, Peter Straughan, and Jack Thorne, ensures a captivating Beatles biopic. Butterworth, known for his gripping storytelling in Ford v Ferrari
and Spectre
, will bring tension to the band’s dynamics. Straughan’s expertise in complex narratives from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
will reveal The Beatles’ personal struggles. Thorne, famed for Adolescence
, a series that dominated the UK TV
, will give their youth an emotional depth that resonates.
Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison – have granted full life story and music rights for Sam Mendes’ ambitious four-part ‘BEATLES’ biopic.
Set to be interconnected stories, from each band member’s point of view, leading up to their 1970… pic.twitter.com/AjLi1VCKn8
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) June 10, 2024
The cast, too, complements this talent pool perfectly. Harris Dickinson will channel John Lennon’s revolutionary spirit, while Paul Mescal’s introspective nature suits Paul McCartney. Barry Keoghan’s work in The Killing of a Sacred Deer
makes him a perfect fit for Ringo Starr, and Joseph Quinn’s brooding charm from Stranger Things
is ideal for George Harrison. Together, this lineup promises four films that will be unforgettable.
Read More: Now His Claim to Fame, Joseph Quinn Was Once Skeptical to Take on His ‘Stranger Things’ Role
How do the chosen writers stack up for The Beatles’ biopics? We would love to hear your thoughts!