PETALING JAYA, Feb 21 — Sony Pictures Entertainment, alongside Oscar-winning filmmaker Sam Mendes and his Neal Street Productions, have announced intentions to produce four theatrical films, each focusing on a different member of The Beatles.
Mendes is set to direct all four films, marking a significant milestone where Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles, including Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison, have authorised comprehensive life story and music rights for a scripted film.
Mendes originated the ambitious concept, aiming to narrate interconnected stories, each from the perspective of a different band member, reported Deadline.
The release schedule for the films will be disclosed nearer to the release, while efforts are currently underway to swiftly secure writers for the project.
While that complex endeavour remains pending at Universal, Sony Pictures Entertainment is poised to finance and globally distribute the films with full theatrical releases scheduled for 2027.
The genesis of the project began when Sam Mendes, the Oscar-winning director of 1999's American Beauty presented the concept in Hollywood.
Sony Pictures Entertainment's Tom Rothman and Elizabeth Gabler, were immediately drawn to the opportunity and successfully secured the package.
Mendes told Deadline, "We went out to LA just before Christmas to pitch the project, and it’s fair to say we were met with universal enthusiasm,
“The reason Sony stood out from competing offers was down to Tom and Elizabeth’s passion for the idea and commitment to propelling these films theatrically in an innovative and exciting way.”
“None of this could have come together without Jeff Jones and Lee Eastman’s support they have been completely instrumental behind the scenes,” he said.
Apart from directing all four films, Mendes will serve as a producer alongside his Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris and Julie Pastor from Neal Street.
Jeff Jones will take on the role of executive producer for Apple Corps Ltd.
“This project springs from an idea of Sam’s which he had over a year ago, and it’s a testament to his creative brilliance and powers of persuasion that Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Sean Lennon and Olivia Harrison responded with such warmth and enthusiasm as soon as he spoke with them," said Harris.
“What is truly exciting is for Sam to have the freedom to delve into the lives of each of the Beatles, with nothing off limits and no sense of the band wanting him to tell a particular ‘authorised’ version of their rise to success.”
The Beatles revolutionised the music industry and became pop culture icons.
The group transitioned from being the beloved “Mop Tops” known for singing blues-infused love ballads to becoming daring and avant-garde artists who tackled the pressing issues of the 1960s.
Following their breakup in 1970, each member confronted the daunting challenge of matching the band's extraordinary success.
They each forged their own distinct paths, achieving remarkable success as solo artists with numerous chart-topping records and leaving a lasting impact on culture in various other ways.
