With the dust starting to settle from the release of their final official song as a band, “Now and Then,” one would expect there to be a void in news about The Beatles, with the exception of re-releases. That is until recently, when it was revealed that we would be getting not one, but four biopics about the lives of each of the band members, all to be directed by academy-award winning director Sam Mendes.
Mendes, a self proclaimed fan, has been given full rights to the band’s life stories, as well as music rights. “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 said in a statement on Tuesday.
While this announcement is exciting for Beatles fans across the globe, this is not the first time that we’ve gotten full feature-length Beatles biopics. The first being 1994’s Backbeat, which documented the groups residency playing in the rat-infested clubs of Hamburg, Germany. The most recent biopic, 2009’s Nowhere Boy, told the story of a young John Lennon, and the formation of his friendship with both Paul McCartney and George Harrison. Both films proved to be successful, indicating ongoing interest in portraying their history on screen.
Each film has a specific focus
Each film will focus on a different period in the band’s career, spanning from their early days in Liverpool to their iconic rooftop concert in London. Mendes aims to capture the essence of The Beatles’ journey and explore the personal dynamics within the group. The project is expected to delve deep into the cultural impact of the band and their musical evolution over the years as well.
With Mendes at the helm and a comprehensive approach to storytelling, these upcoming biopics are poised to offer a multifaceted portrayal of one of the most influential bands in music history.