The Beatles Biopic Casts Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, Harris Dickinson, and Joseph Quinn as the Fab Four
Sam Mendes Confirms Beatles Biopics Cast and Release Date at CinemaCon
In a significant reveal at CinemaCon 2023 in Las Vegas, filmmaker Sam Mendes has officially announced the cast and the release date for his highly-anticipated Beatles biopics, a four-part exploration that aims to delve deep into the lives of each member of the iconic band. According to reports from BBC News, this ambitious project is set to hit theaters in April 2028, marking the first scripted films to receive the band’s music and life rights since their storied career began.
Each film will spotlight one of the fab four: Harris Dickinson will take on the role of John Lennon, Paul Mescal will embody Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn will portray George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan will bring Ringo Starr to life. The casting sees a mix of rising stars and acclaimed actors, promising a fresh yet respectful approach to the musical legends we all know and love.
The Beatles’ influence has lingered in contemporary cinema and music, thanks in part to Peter Jackson’s recent documentary, The Beatles: Get Back, which gave fans an intimate look at the band’s creative process. Mendes’ tetralogy, however, aims to weave fiction into the fabric of their true stories, capturing the spirit of the times and the artistic evolution that made them irreplaceable icons in the annals of music history.
Harris Dickinson, known for his performances in Triangle of Sadness and The Iron Claw, will step into Lennon’s complex life with potential insights from the surviving members or archives—setting high expectations for his portrayal. Paul Mescal, the breakout star of Normal People, is set to channel McCartney’s charisma and genius, following a string of notable roles in Gladiator II and Aftersun.
Meanwhile, Joseph Quinn—who gained fame as the beloved metalhead Eddie Munson in Stranger Things—is now poised to portray the serene yet deeply philosophical George Harrison. His engagement with the music world, including jamming with Metallica last year, should inform his approach to a musician who was as much about enlightenment as he was about tunes.
Barry Keoghan rounds out the cast as Ringo Starr, a role that may allow the actor to showcase his comedic chops alongside Starr’s more playful, upbeat personality. Following acclaimed performances in films like Banshees of Inisherin and The Batman, he might be the one to bring a sense of joy and absurdity that was emblematic of the drummer’s character.
The creative potential of this project is palpable, yet the question of how Mendes will resonate with the band’s legacy remains. With the band’s own cinematic endeavors, including A Hard Day’s Night and Yellow Submarine, having set a high standard for storytelling in music film, Mendes will need to walk a fine line between homage and innovation.
As The Beatles continue to reclaim cultural relevance—recently winning Best Rock Performance for “Now and Then” at the 2025 Grammys—Mendes’ release in 2028 is poised to generate waves of nostalgia and curiosity. Fans eagerly await a new lens through which to view the legends who shaped the face of music as we know it.
Stay tuned as more details unfold in the years leading up to these groundbreaking films. For now, enthusiasm is in the air, and the world can’t help but feel a little bit Beatle-mania creeping back into the cultural zeitgeist.
