Sam Mendes is going to have to work “Eight Days a Week” to pull this one off.
Backed by Sony, Mendes is going to make “four distinct theatrical feature films,” one from each member of the iconic band’s perspective, a February 20 press release reads. It is the first time that Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles — Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison — have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film. (Note: Apple Corps is not Apple the gigantic iPhone maker. It is the name of the band’s conglomerate.)
Mendes will direct all four biopics, which promise to “intersect” with each other and “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.”
Sony Pictures Entertainment will finance and distribute the films worldwide; each will have a “full theatrical window” in 2027. “The dating cadence of the films, the details of which will be shared closer to release, will be innovative and groundbreaking,” the media release says.
Mendes (“1917,” “American Beauty”) will produce the four films along with his Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris, and Neal Street’s Julie Pastor. Jeff Jones will executive produce for Apple Corps Ltd.
“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,” said Mendes.
“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,” said Harris. “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, 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.”
“Apple Corps is delighted to collaborate with Sam, Pippa and Julie to explore each Beatle’s unique story and to bring them together in a suitably captivating and innovative way,” said Jones. “Sony Pictures’ enthusiastic support, championing the project’s scope and creative vision from the start, has been invaluable for all of us.”
“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!’” said Tom Rothman, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures’ Motion Picture Group. “Theatrical movie events today must be culturally seismic. Sam’s daring, large-scale idea is that and then some. Pairing his premiere 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.”
