- - Meet the Beatles (again): See the biopics’ cast side-by-side with the real people they play

Allison DeGrusheNovember 1, 2025 at 11:00 PM

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Lionel Hahn/Getty; Michael Putland/Getty; John Phillips/BAFTA/Getty

Paul Mescal; Paul and Linda McCartney; Saoirse RonanKey Points -

Sam Mendes is bringing the Beatles back to the big screen with a four-part film series.

Harris Dickinson, Barry Keoghan, Paul Mescal, and Joseph Quinn will portray the legendary bandmates.

Anna Sawai, Mia McKenna-Bruce, Saoirse Ronan, and Aimee Lou Wood round out the cast as the musicians' wives.

In early 2024, Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes announced that he was teaming up with Sony Pictures to make not one, but four biopics about the Beatles. The ambitious project, dubbed The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event, is slated to hit theaters in April 2028.

"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 in a statement.

The initial cast was unveiled at CinemaCon 2025: Paul Mescal will star as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson will take on the role of John Lennon, Barry Keoghan will play Ringo Starr, and Joseph Quinn will portray George Harrison.

On Oct. 31, Sony officially announced that Saoirse Ronan, Anna Sawai, Mia McKenna-Bruce, and Aimee Lou Wood are joining the cast as Linda McCartney, Yoko Ono, Maureen Starkey, and Pattie Boyd, respectively.

Read on for a side-by-side look at the stars and the real-life figures they'll bring to the big screen.

01 of 08

Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney

Paul Mescal; Paul McCartney

Oscar-nominated actor Paul Mescal is stepping into the shoes of Paul McCartney, the musical genius who wrote timeless hits like "Hey Jude" and "Yesterday." Throughout his decades-long career, McCartney has earned numerous accolades and remains one of the best-selling artists of all time.

Mescal first stole hearts on Hulu's romantic drama miniseries Normal People (2020) and has since become a full-blown movie star. You might've seen him in Aftersun (2022), All of Us Strangers (2023), and Gladiator II (2024). He also leads the upcoming film Hamnet (2025).

In a recent interview with IndieWire, Mescal revealed that he's linked up with McCartney. "He's an extraordinary man, like to spend any time — it's a crazy sentence to say that I've spent time with that man, let alone play him," he said of the musician.

02 of 08

Harris Dickinson as John Lennon

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Harris Dickinson; John Lennon

Harris Dickinson will star as John Lennon, the late musician who was shot and killed outside his apartment on Dec. 8, 1980. He left an incredible musical legacy in his wake. McCartney inducted him into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 1994, and the 2009 biopic Nowhere Boy explored his early life.

Dickinson, known for starring in Beach Rats (2017), the Palme d'Or winner Triangle of Sadness (2022), The Iron Claw (2023), and Babygirl (2024), also made his feature directorial debut with the acclaimed drama Urchin in 2025.

The actor recently told RadioTimes that he feels "really lucky" to portray Lennon. "It's such a unique experience to play someone of that calibre. I mean, it's intimidating, but it's enriching," he added.

03 of 08

Joseph Quinn as George Harrison

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Joseph Quinn; George Harrison

Joseph Quinn will portray the Beatles' guitar player George Harrison, who died of lung cancer on Nov. 29, 2001. Known as "the quiet Beatle," Harrison wrote iconic songs such as "Here Comes the Sun" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps."

The upcoming Beatles film event reunites Quinn and Mescal, who were onscreen enemies in Gladiator II. Quinn is also known for his breakout role as Eddie Munson on Stranger Things (2022) and for movies such as A Quiet Place: Day One (2024), Warfare (2025), and The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025).

04 of 08

Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr

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Barry Keoghan; Ringo Starr

Barry Keoghan will play Ringo Starr, the Beatles' drummer. Starr joined the Fab Four in 1962, replacing Pete Best. He's responsible for some of the group's most whimsical songs, including "Octopus' Garden."

Starr has expressed support for the films, previously telling Entertainment Tonight that he thinks "it's great" to have Keoghan portray him. In July 2025, he also shared that he requested a few script changes tied to his relationship with his first wife, Maureen Starkey Tigrett.

Keoghan earned his first Oscar nomination for The Banshees of Inisherin (2022), but he's also known for his roles in Dunkirk (2017), Eternals (2021), The Batman (2022), and Saltburn (2023).

Since his casting, Keoghan has spoken about visiting Starr at his home. "I was nervous," the actor recalled. "But he's like, 'You can look at me.'"

05 of 08

Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney

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Saoirse Ronan; Linda McCartney

Four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan is taking on the role of Linda McCartney, a celebrated photographer and musician, and the first wife of Paul McCartney. After the Beatles broke up, Linda and Paul formed Wings and performed together until 1981. She also spent her life advocating for animal rights and remained with Paul until her death from breast cancer in April 1998.

The Beatles project reunites Ronan with Mescal, her onscreen husband in the 2023 sci-fi thriller Foe, and with Dickinson, her costar in Blitz (2024). Ronan first turned heads in the period drama Atonement (2007) and has since delivered acclaimed performances in Brooklyn (2015), Lady Bird (2017), Little Women (2019), and The Outrun (2024).

06 of 08

Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono

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Anna Sawai; Yoko Ono

Anna Sawai will play Yoko Ono, the Japanese artist, musician, and activist who first met Lennon at a London exhibition of her work. They married in 1969 and were inseparable until Lennon's assassination in 1980.

Sawai initially gained fame as a member of the J-pop group Faky and has since developed a successful acting career. She's best known for her roles on the TV shows Pachinko (2022–present), Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (2023–present), and Shōgun (2024–present), the latter earning her a SAG Award, a Golden Globe, and a historic Emmy.

07 of 08

Aimee Lou Wood as Pattie Boyd

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Aimee Lou Wood; Pattie Boyd

Aimee Lou Wood takes on the role of Pattie Boyd, the model and photographer who crossed paths with Harrison on the set of the Beatles movie A Hard Day’s Night. The couple married in 1966 and divorced 11 years later.

Wood gained international fame with her acclaimed turn in the third season of The White Lotus, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Fans also know her for her BAFTA-winning turn as Aimee Gibbs on Netflix's comedy series Sex Education (2019–2023).

08 of 08

Mia McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey Tigrett

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Mia McKenna-Bruce; Maureen Starkey Tigrett

Mia McKenna-Bruce will play Maureen Starkey Tigrett, an early fan of the Beatles who married Starr in 1965. They later divorced in 1975. She died on Dec. 30, 1994, from complications related to leukemia.

McKenna-Bruce is best known for starring in the drama film How to Have Sex (2023), for which she won the BAFTA Rising Star Award and a British Independent Film Award. She's also appeared in Persuasion (2022) and on shows such as Tracy Beaker Returns (2010–2012), The Dumping Ground (2013–2018), and Vampire Academy (2022).

The actress confirmed her casting on Instagram on Oct. 31, posting photos of Maureen with the caption, "Let's go Mo 🖤."

Where can I watch The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event?

The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event is set to hit theaters in April 2028.

on Entertainment Weekly

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