Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sam Mendes will tell the story of The Beatles from a unique standpoint.
The director is set to make four separate movies, each sharing a Beatles member's point of view, in a project that will intersect to "tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history," leading up to their 1970 breakup, according to a press release cited by Variety.
Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and the families of the late John Lennon and George Harrison have approved the use of their entire life stories and music rights for the scripted films.
"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. He is known for his work on "American Beauty" as well as James Bond films "Skyfall" and "Spectre," among others.
Apart from directing, Mendes will also serve as a producer, collaborating with his Neal Street Productions partner Pippa Harris and Neal Street's Julie Pastor. Jeff Jones, representing Apple Corps Limited, the multimedia organization established by The Beatles in 1968, will executive produce.
"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," Harris said in a statement. "To have The Beatles' and Apple Corps' blessing to do this is an immense privilege."
This marks the first timeTthe Beatles have fully supported a scripted film. While they've been the focus of many documentaries, such as the 1970s "Let It Be" chronicling their breakup, and Peter Jackson's "Get Back," capturing the creation of their album "Let It Be," their cinematic ventures have had mixed success.
Films like the 2007 "Across the Universe" and 1978's "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" were inspired by their songs, but not all were hits — "Across the Universe," for example, flopped.
The Beatles also starred in their own movies, including 1964's "A Hard Day's Night," 1965's "Help!" 1967's "Magical Mystery Tour," and 1968's "Yellow Submarine."
In a note to Sony employees on Tuesday, Tom Rothman, chair and CEO of Sony's Motion Picture Group, wrote that "many companies were hoping for the chance to partner on this once-in-a-lifetime cinematic experience. I am honored that in Columbia Pictures' 100th year … we won the day and are the chosen home."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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