Almost two years after director Sam Mendes shocked fans with his ambitious announcement, the Beatles biopics are finally taking shape.
Four separate films. Four legendary musicians. Four rising stars bringing them to life.
And now, fans are getting their first glimpse of what’s to come.
Sony Pictures UK has begun teasing the project in a uniquely Beatles way—through hidden postcards scattered around Paul McCartney’s own performing arts school in Liverpool, while Barry Keoghan just stepped out with his Ringo Starr transformation.
Four Films, Four Perspectives on Music History
When Mendes first revealed his vision in early 2023, the concept was unprecedented: telling the Beatles story through four interconnected films, each centered on a different band member.
Harris Dickinson will portray John Lennon, the sharp-witted visionary whose creativity and controversy defined an era. Paul Mescal takes on Paul McCartney, the melodic genius whose songwriting partnership with Lennon created some of music’s most enduring masterpieces.
Barry Keoghan steps into Ringo Starr’s shoes—the drummer whose understated brilliance and charm held the group together. Joseph Quinn will bring George Harrison to life, the “quiet Beatle” whose spiritual depth and guitar work became increasingly central to the band’s evolution.
The cast was officially confirmed in April 2024, sending Beatles fans and film enthusiasts into a frenzy of anticipation.
Hidden Treasures at McCartney’s School
Sony Pictures UK chose a fitting location for the first official tease: the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, co-founded by McCartney himself in 1996.
Students discovered postcards featuring the four actors in character as the Fab Four, hidden throughout campus like Easter eggs waiting to be found.
The marketing strategy feels authentically Beatles—playful, mysterious, and deeply connected to Liverpool’s musical heritage. It’s a nod to the band’s roots while building excitement for their cinematic reimagining.
Each postcard reportedly shows the actors styled as their respective Beatles, giving fans their first proper look at how Mendes and his team are approaching the iconic appearances of John, Paul, George, and Ringo during different eras of Beatlemania.
Barry Keoghan Debuts His Ringo Look
While students hunted for postcards in Liverpool, Keoghan made waves at the Crime 101 UK gala screening by appearing with his Ringo Starr transformation.
The Irish actor has undergone a striking physical change for the role, adopting Starr’s signature hairstyle and overall aesthetic from the Beatles’ heyday.
Keoghan’s commitment to embodying Starr goes beyond surface-level mimicry. Ringo has often been dismissed as simply “the drummer,” but his timing, personality, and musical instincts were essential to the Beatles’ sound and dynamic.
The actor’s public appearance suggests filming may be underway or approaching rapidly, adding fuel to speculation about when fans might see trailers or additional footage.
Why Four Films Changes Everything
Previous Beatles films have either focused on fictional interpretations or attempted to cram the entire band’s story into one narrative. Mendes is taking a radically different approach.
Each film will follow its subject’s perspective while their stories intersect and overlap. Imagine seeing the same historic moments—the Ed Sullivan Show, recording “Sgt. Pepper’s,” the rooftop concert—through four different sets of eyes.
This structure allows for unprecedented depth. John’s creative turbulence and political awakening. Paul’s relentless drive and complex relationship with fame. George’s spiritual journey and frustration at being overshadowed. Ringo’s unique vantage point as both insider and occasional outsider.
The format also mirrors how the Beatles themselves experienced their phenomenon: together yet separate, unified yet increasingly pulling in different directions.
The Weight of Playing Legends
Each actor faces enormous pressure. The Beatles aren’t just musicians—they’re cultural deities whose images, voices, and mannerisms are burned into global consciousness.
Dickinson must capture Lennon’s razor wit and vulnerability. Mescal needs to embody McCartney’s boyish charm and musical perfectionism. Quinn has the challenge of portraying Harrison’s quiet intensity and evolving independence.
Keoghan’s task may be the trickiest. Ringo Starr is still alive, still beloved, and still very much part of public life. Any portrayal will be measured against the real man, who remains active in music and advocacy.
What We’re Still Waiting to Learn
Major questions remain unanswered. Will the films be released simultaneously or sequentially? How will the musical rights be handled—will we hear the actual Beatles recordings or rerecorded versions?
The timeline covered by each film hasn’t been officially confirmed. Will they span from Hamburg to the breakup? Focus on specific eras? Extend into solo careers?
Mendes hasn’t directed a film since “1917” in 2019, and before that, his range included everything from “American Beauty” to multiple James Bond films. His involvement suggests these won’t be straightforward music biopics but rather complex character studies using the Beatles’ story as a framework.
Why This Matters Beyond Nostalgia
The Beatles’ influence extends far beyond their music. They represented generational change, artistic evolution, and the power of collaboration—and its limits.
Their story contains universal themes: friendship tested by success, creativity constrained by commerce, individual ambition versus collective identity, and the search for meaning beyond fame.
By splitting their narrative into four perspectives, Mendes acknowledges something profound: there is no single “Beatles story.” There are four overlapping experiences that created something greater than any one of them.
As hidden postcards surface in Liverpool and Keoghan debuts his Ringo transformation, one thing becomes clear: these films aim to do more than recreate history. They’re attempting to reexamine it from angles we’ve never fully explored.
For Beatles fans and film lovers alike, the wait continues—but the first glimpses suggest it may be worth it.