British director Sam Mendes will work on four films about the band
An Oscar-nominated star will play Paul McCartney in Sam Mendes’ new films about The Beatles, according to legendary film director Ridley Scott. Mendes, known for ‘Skyfall’ and ‘American Beauty’, is working on four films about the band, set for release in 2027.
The films, one from each member of the band‘s perspective, will be the first time that Apple Corps Ltd have given full story and music rights to a narrative project about The Beatles. Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and the families of George Harrison and John Lennon have also given their blessing to the project.
Last month, Ringo seemed to confirm that Irish actor Barry Keoghan will play him in the films. Keoghan’s attempt at a Merseyside accent in 2023’s ‘Saltburn’ came in for criticism from these parts but landed him BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations.
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He is known for his roles in ‘Dunkirk’ and ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’. He has also been working on the new ‘Peaky Blinders’ film, which rumours have suggested has been filmed in Merseyside.
Now, ‘Gladiator II’ director Scott has seemingly confirmed the second major casting involving an Irish star. County Kildare-born Paul Mescal worked with Scott as he starred as Lucius in the sequel to the 2000 classic, which hit screens in November and has taken over £350m at the worldwide box office to date.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Scott let slip news of Mescal’s casting as McCartney during a conversation with director Christopher Nolan following a ‘Gladiator II’ screening. Speaking about his next film ‘The Dog Stars’, Scott was asked if Mescal would act in it.
He said: “Yes” in response, before adding: “Maybe. Paul is actually stacked up, doing The Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”
Mescal, 28, rose to fame as the star of 2020 Sally Rooney TV adaptation ‘Normal People’ before making his film debut in 2021’s ‘The Lost Daughter’. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 2022 Oscars for his role in the critically acclaimed ‘Aftersun’.