Sony Pictures has revealed the four main actresses who will depict the influential women in the lives of The Beatles in Sam Mendes Beatles film, scheduled for global release in April 2028. Mia McKenna-Bruce, Saoirse Ronan, Anna Sawai, and Aimee Lou Wood will star as Maureen (Cox) Starkey, Linda (Eastman) McCartney, Yoko Ono, and Pattie Boyd respectively, portraying the pivotal partners of Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison.
A Unique Authorized Project With Extensive Access
This marks the first time Apple Corps Ltd., the company founded by The Beatles in 1968, has authorized a scripted portrayal of the band’s story with full rights to their music and personal lives. Sam Mendes’ ambitious cinematic undertaking consists of four separate films, each told from the viewpoint of a different Beatle. These narratives will interweave to depict the band’s journey of creativity, fame, friendship, and eventual challenges.
Produced by Neal Street Productions in partnership with Apple Corps and Sony Pictures, Mendes will executive produce alongside Pippa Harris, Julie Pastor, and Alexandra Derbyshire. Sony will finance and handle worldwide distribution, ensuring each film receives a full theatrical launch in April 2028.
Portraying Maureen Starkey: Mia McKenna-Bruce’s Role
Mia McKenna-Bruce, acclaimed for her BAFTA-winning lead performance in How To Have Sex, will bring depth to Maureen (Cox) Starkey. Maureen met Ringo Starr as a teenage fan at Liverpool’s Cavern Club in 1962 before The Beatles rose to international fame. The couple married in 1965 and had three children, maintaining a close connection to the band even after their separation in 1975. Maureen’s life balanced the private struggles and public frenzy surrounding Beatlemania.
Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney: A Legendary Partnership
Saoirse Ronan, whose notable works include Lady Bird, Little Women, and Brooklyn, will embody Linda (Eastman) McCartney, a respected photographer when she met Paul McCartney in 1967. Their instant bond would evolve into one of rock music’s most enduring romances, lasting until Linda’s death in 1998. As McCartney recalled,
The first time I saw her, I just knew.
– Paul McCartney
Anna Sawai Captures the Complex Role of Yoko Ono
Anna Sawai, an Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress praised for her work in Shōgun, will portray avant-garde artist Yoko Ono. Ono met John Lennon at a London art gallery in 1966, a meeting that profoundly altered music history. Their relationship, marked by intense romance and creative collaboration, challenged societal norms and remains one of pop culture’s most examined partnerships.
Aimee Lou Wood’s Take on Pattie Boyd’s Influence
Model and muse Pattie Boyd, who met George Harrison during filming of A Hard Day’s Night in 1964, inspired iconic songs like “Something” and “Layla.” She also played a significant role in shaping the spiritual and visual aesthetics of the late 1960s alongside Harrison’s embrace of Indian mysticism. Aimee Lou Wood, Emmy-nominated for The White Lotus and BAFTA winner for Sex Education, will convey Boyd’s story of love, growth, and lasting cultural legacy.
Additional Cast and Production Background
The film also features Harris Dickinson, Barry Keoghan, Paul Mescal, and Joseph Quinn in the roles of The Beatles themselves. Further casting announcements for figures such as Cynthia Lennon, Brian Epstein, George Martin, and Ravi Shankar are anticipated soon. Mendes, known for acclaimed films like 1917, American Beauty, and Skyfall, envisioned this project as a mosaic of perspectives, with each Beatle’s story offering a distinctive emotional viewpoint on their collective legacy.
A Landmark Collaboration for Beatles Storytelling
This unprecedented partnership between Sony Pictures, Neal Street Productions, and Apple Corps represents a significant milestone for Beatles narrative cinema, reinvigorating the band’s history for modern audiences and promising a vivid, multi-faceted exploration of one of music’s greatest phenomena. The release of these four interconnected films aims to captivate viewers worldwide, highlighting enduring themes of creativity and friendship along with the inevitable tensions within the legendary group.
