Sir Sam Mendes will direct four films about The Beatles, each told from the perspective of a different band member.
The project marks the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.
Sir Sam said: “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.”
The 1917 director will also produce the films under his Neal Street Productions banner alongside its co-founder Dame Pippa Harris, the former chair of Bafta, and Julie Pastor.
The films will be financed and distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures with full cinema releases in 2027.
Sony said the information about the dating of the releases, which will be announced closer to the time, will be “innovative and groundbreaking”.
Dame Pippa said: “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 Tom Rothman and Elizabeth Gabler (of Sony), 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.”
Tom Rothman, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures’ motion picture group, added: “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!’
“Theatrical movie events today must be culturally seismic. Sam’s daring, large-scale idea is that, and then some.
“Pairing his premier 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.”
