For now, Sony Pictures CEO Tom Rothman is still running the place, and that’s despite the studio’s box office woes. If anything, Rothman is banking on what might be the riskiest project of his career: four Beatles movies, all directed by Sam Mendes, all set for an April 2028 release.
As if that weren’t ambitious enough, Puck’s Matt Belloni reports that the movies are “said to be costing about $100M each.” That’s $400M+ in total, a price tag that rivals the biggest studio bets of the past decade. Rothman, however, is betting on Mendes.
“He’s going to have to retire sometime, and the Beatles movies might be the right time to do it,” said one producer who has known Rothman for many years.
The four Beatles will be played by Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Harris Dickinson as John Lennon. Mendes has recruited Greig Fraser (“The Batman,” “Dune”) as cinematographer, ensuring the project will look as glorious as its budget.
Casting is still expanding: Anna Sawai (“Shōgun”) will play Yoko Ono, while Aimee Lou Wood (“The White Lotus”) has been cast as Patti Boyd, George Harrison’s wife of 11 years.
Mendes plans to shoot all four films consecutively, with a “Rashomon”-style structure that gives each instalment a distinct perspective. Screenwriters include Peter Straughan (“Conclave”), Jack Thorne (“Adolescence”), and Jez Butterworth (“Ford v Ferrari”). The fourth writer is widely believed to be Krysty Wilson-Cairns (“1917”), though her involvement hasn’t been officially confirmed.
The logistics are daunting. Keoghan recently told The Sun that “the group anticipates 15 months of shooting.” That breaks down to about three to four months of production per film, a grueling marathon for the cast and crew.
Make no mistake, the headline is the budget. At $400M, this isn’t just another prestige project—it’s a once-in-a-lifetime roll of the dice. If it works, Rothman could walk away on top. If it doesn’t, the Beatles movies may go down as Hollywood’s most expensive bust.