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6th June 2024
10:48am BST
Barry Keoghan is reportedly set to join Paul Mescal in an upcoming film series of biopics about The Beatles.
It was reported last week that Mescal was being eyed up to play one of the Beatles in one of four separate upcoming biopics directed by Sam Mendes.
Now, according to a report from Jeff Sneider of The Insneider, the Saltburn star is also lined up to join the band as Ringo Starr, with Mescal playing Paul McCartney.
Set for a 2027 release, the films will be the first Beatles biopics to have full cooperation from McCartney, Ringo, and the families of John Lennon and George Harrison.
According to the new report, Charlie Rowe (Never Let Me Go) will play Harrison, and Harris Dickinson (The Iron Claw) will star as Lennon.
Mendes' four movies will intersect to “tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history,” leading up to their 1970 breakup.
All four movies will come to cinemas in 2027, with the release strategy said to be “innovative and groundbreaking.”
"I’m honoured 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," the 1917 director said in a statement in Feburary.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Mescal, who is set to reach a new level of stardom this summer with Gladiator 2, is "top of the list" for major studio roles, including one of the four roles in the upcoming biopics.
“Every filmmaker loves Paul Mescal. But audiences don’t [yet] know who he is,” one film executive told the outlet.
Harris Dickinson, Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan and Charlie Rowe are rumored to star as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison in Sam Mendes’ upcoming ‘THE BEATLES’ biopics.
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) June 5, 2024
(via @TheInSneider | https://t.co/JuPjI5M29S) pic.twitter.com/xGZpR9hhBs
Mescal will definitely be one to watch for one of the roles, particularly after the release of the long-awaited Gladiator sequel this summer, which will mark his first fully-fledged studio film lead.
The Kildare native has chosen to keep a distance from Hollywood following his breakout role in Normal People, starring in indie darlings Aftersun and All of Us Strangers.
Keoghan was also set to team up with Mescal in the long-awaited follow-up to Ridley Scott’s 2000 epic, however, the Dubliner dropped out of negotiations to play the role of Emperor Geta due to scheduling conflicts.
Speaking to IndieWire at Cannes last month, Keoghan said: “I am a massive fan of Gladiator and a massive fan of that cast.
“It’s a shame you can’t do both. But that happens in this game. You can’t do both.
“It always happens. Shooting in two different countries as well makes it really difficult.”
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