Sam Mendes (1917, Skyfall) is set to direct all four feature films. The biopics will be told from each band member’s point-of-view and will intersect to “tell the story of the greatest band in history.”
The project marks the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, along with the families of John Lennon and George Harrison – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.
With Sony Pictures Entertainment set to finance and distribute the films, which are set to have a global release in 2027, “the dating cadence of the films, the details of which will be shared closer to release, will be innovative and groundbreaking” – say the band in a statement.
The films will be produced alongside Mendes’ Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris and Neal Street’s Julie Pastor. Jeff Jones will executive produce for Apple Corps Ltd.
“I’m honoured 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,” shared Mendes.
Harris added: “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.”
She continued: “To have The Beatles’ and Apple Corps’ blessing to do this is an immense privilege. From our first meeting with 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.”
Apple Corps Ltd. CEO Jeff Jones shared: “Apple Corps 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.”
“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!’” said Tom Rothman, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group.
“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.”
The Beatles have been the subject of a plethora of films and documentaries including the 1970 film Let It Be, which highlighted the Fab Four’s breakup and 2021’s The Beatles: Get Back, the series which documented the creation of their LP ‘Let It Be’.
In a five-star review of The Beatles: Get Back, NME shared: “It is precisely because of Get Back‘s lax editorial policy that it succeeds. You might not be able to say anything new about The Beatles in 2021, but Jackson hasn’t tried. He’s shown us instead.”
The band’s songs have also served as inspiration for films such as 2007’s Across the Universe and 1978’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
In other Beatles news, last year, Macca and Starr – the two remaining members of the band – shared ‘Now And Then’ – the last track from The Beatles to feature all four original members.
They also shared new expanded editions of their ‘Red’ and ‘Blue’ albums, which now span 75 songs from ‘Love Me Do’ to ‘Now And Then’ and feature 21 newly-added tracks, with 12 on ‘Red’ and nine on ‘Blue’.
These come from the modern stereo and Dolby mixes of the recent reissues of their albums, plus new mixes created by Giles Martin and Sam Okell at Abbey Road Studios, with the AI assistance of WingNut Films’ audio de-mixing technology. John Harris also wrote essays for the releases.
Elsewhere, the woman who found and returned McCartney’s long-lost bass guitar is now hoping that she may be in store for a reward.
The bass guitar – which has been dubbed the most important bass in history for its role in recording numerous Beatles hits – was stolen from the musician in 1972, only to be returned to him last week.
