The Beatles Biopic Casting Just Dropped, and So Did Everyone’s Jaws
This casting is either genius or blasphemy. With four separate Beatles biopics incoming, we’re about to find out.
BY Devin Conliffe ★ May 2nd, 2025
design by Jackie Mirvis
The Beatles are back, and this time, it’s on the big screen. That’s right: four separate biopics, each told from the perspective of a different member of the Fab Four, are officially in the works. The casting? Star-studded. The reactions? Chaotic. The memes? Hilarious.
In a move that feels like a studio exec said, “What if we assembled the cast of your FYP?” Normal People heartthrob Paul Mescal will portray Paul McCartney, while Barry Keoghan, the Saltburn star and rumored muse of Please Please Please by Sabrina Carpenter, will take on Ringo Starr. Harris Dickinson, fresh off The Iron Claw and Babygirl, steps into the shoes of John Lennon, and Joseph Quinn of Stranger Things, and A Quiet Place: Day One will bring George Harrison to life.
Yes, that’s two Pauls, two Gladiator IIs and two Irishmen portraying some of Britain’s most iconic rock legends.
Four Lads From Liverpool, Four Lads From Your Twitter Feed
For those just tuning in: The Beatles were a British band (circa the '60s and '70s) that basically invented being a global pop culture phenomenon. Their influence still reverberates through modern music, fashion, and film, and for many, they’re the most legendary music group in history.
Now, Skyfall and 1917 director Sam Mendes is set to tackle each Beatles’ story with a quartet of biopics.
Here’s what’s happening and why fans are already spiraling.
Despite the ambition and artistry behind the project, the online reaction has been… less Here Comes the Sun, more Help!
The Casting Heard ‘Round the Timeline
Let’s just say the Twitter TL was not on board with the casting from the jump. One user summed it up bluntly:
“And who will be playing the Beatles?” – @rachelsdarling
Casting two Irishmen (Mescal and Keoghan) as Liverpool’s most beloved sons stirred up its own wave of cheeky commentary.
Even fans who love all four actors couldn’t help but point out the deja vu:
“does hollywood realize there are more than 10 actors in hollywood” – @sethspov
Also, somewhere out there, a fan has definitely tweeted: “Robert Pattinson could’ve played all four Beatles.” And you know what? They’re not wrong.
Will this be a cinematic revolution or a four part fever dream? Will the world fall in love with the Beatles all over again or will the magic get lost in translation? We’ll have to wait and see. The films are set to begin rolling out in 2027.