The Beatles are coming back to the big screen, and fans just got their first glimpse of the transformation.
Four postcards revealed at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts on Thursday showcase the actors stepping into the iconic roles of John, Paul, George, and Ringo.
This isn’t just another music biopic—it’s an unprecedented four-film event, each telling the legendary band’s story from a different member’s perspective.
And the marketing has already begun in the most Beatles way possible: at Paul McCartney’s own school.
Four Films, Four Perspectives, One Legendary Band
“The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event” marks an ambitious undertaking in cinema history. Director Sam Mendes will helm all four films, with each movie exploring the band’s journey through the eyes of a single member.
Harris Dickinson steps into the role of John Lennon, while Paul Mescal takes on Paul McCartney. Joseph Quinn portrays George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan brings Ringo Starr to life.
The casting choices have generated significant buzz, pairing rising stars with one of music’s most scrutinized legacies.
The First Look: Postcards From Liverpool
The promotional cards appeared at Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, the school co-founded by McCartney himself. Students shared images on social media, giving the world its first peek at the transformed actors.
Each postcard features one actor in character, capturing the essence of their respective Beatle. The choice of Liverpool as the reveal location adds authenticity to the campaign—the city where four lads from working-class backgrounds would change music forever.
The school’s Instagram account posted the collection, sparking immediate reaction from Beatles fans worldwide who’ve waited decades for a comprehensive cinematic treatment of the band’s story.
An All-Star Supporting Cast
The project boasts an ensemble that extends far beyond the Fab Four themselves. Key figures in Beatles history come to life through carefully selected performers.
Saoirse Ronan portrays Linda McCartney, while Anna Sawai takes on the complex role of Yoko Ono. James Norton steps into the shoes of Brian Epstein, the band’s visionary manager whose guidance proved crucial to their ascent.
- Mia McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey, Ringo’s first wife
- Aimee Lou Wood as Pattie Boyd, George Harrison’s muse
- Harry Lloyd as George Martin, the legendary producer known as “the fifth Beatle”
- David Morrissey as Jim McCartney, Paul’s father
- Leanne Best as Mimi Smith, who raised John Lennon
Additional cast members include Bobby Schofield as Neil Aspinall, Daniel Hoffmann-Gill as Mal Evans, Arthur Darvill as Derek Taylor, and Adam Pally as Allen Klein—figures who played pivotal roles during different chapters of Beatles history.
Sam Mendes Takes On Music’s Biggest Story
The Oscar-winning director behind American Beauty, 1917, and Skyfall expressed his enthusiasm for the groundbreaking project when it was announced.
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.
Mendes’ approach represents something cinema hasn’t seen before—four interconnected films releasing simultaneously, each offering a unique lens on shared experiences.
The structure allows for competing narratives and different emotional truths, mirroring how band members themselves remember events differently.
A 2028 Release Date With Historic Implications
All four films arrive in theaters simultaneously on April 7, 2028. The release strategy alone makes this a landmark moment for cinema.
Audiences will face an intriguing choice: which Beatle’s story to experience first? Will fans watch all four in succession, creating a marathon viewing experience? Or will they space out the films, allowing each perspective to breathe?
The coordinated release also means production teams must maintain consistency across all four films while ensuring each stands alone as a complete narrative.
Why Four Films Matter
Previous Beatles films have either focused on specific periods or taken a documentary approach. The four-film structure acknowledges a fundamental truth: there wasn’t one Beatles experience.
John’s perspective as the band’s early leader and eventual iconoclast differs dramatically from Ringo’s experience as the last member to join. Paul’s songwriting partnership with John tells one story, while George’s evolution from “the quiet Beatle” to spiritual seeker tells another.
This approach respects the complexity of four distinct artists who created something greater than themselves—then struggled with that creation’s weight.
The marketing campaign beginning at Liverpool Institute signals an attention to authenticity that fans hope extends through every frame of all four films.
With first-look images now circulating and three years until release, anticipation builds for what may become cinema’s most ambitious musical biography.