Beatles Biopic Series ‘Hamburg Days’ Set at BBC

The BBC has secured exclusive UK broadcasting rights to "Hamburg Days," a new six-part drama focusing on the Beatles' formative period in Germany. The series, acquired from Turbine Studios, will air on BBC One and be available on iPlayer. This acquisition underscores the enduring public fascination with the band's origins, a subject that continues to inspire major screen projects long after their 1970 dissolution.

Based on the autobiography of Klaus Voormann, the series will chart his pivotal friendship with the group. Voormann—a German artist and musician best known for designing the iconic 'Revolver' album cover—and photographer Astrid Kirchherr first encountered the then-unknown Beatles in Hamburg's notorious Reeperbahn district in the early 1960s. The drama will depict how the band's intense, nightly performances in the city's rough-edged clubs were instrumental in refining their sound and stagecraft. Casting for the roles of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr has not yet been announced.

Leading the production is developer Benjamin Benedict, recognized for the miniseries "Generation War." The writing team is headed by Jamie Carragher, whose credits include HBO's "Succession," while direction is handled by Mat Whitecross, a filmmaker known for music documentaries on artists like Coldplay. Christian Schwochow, a director for Netflix's "The Crown," will serve as showrunner. The all-important soundtrack will be curated by BAFTA-winning composer David Holmes. As Sue Deeks, the BBC's Head of Scripted Pre-buy Acquisitions, noted, the project brings together "an incredible story with, of course, an amazing soundtrack." Industry analysts suggest the musical direction will be crucial, requiring a mix of classic hits and lesser-known period tracks to authentically recreate the era's vibrant, underground club scene.

This television project arrives alongside another high-profile Beatles narrative in development. Sony Pictures is moving forward with a unique cinematic venture from Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, planned as four interlinked films—each focusing on a different band member—for a 2028 release. That project has already named its lead actors, including Harris Dickinson as John Lennon and Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney. The concurrent development of both a detailed television series and an ambitious film cycle indicates a strategic shift in how the band's legacy is being handled, moving from simple nostalgia toward a deeper examination of the gritty experiences that forged their identity.

"Hamburg Days" is an international co-production involving W&B Television (a Leonine company), Turbine Studios, ZDF, the BBC, and AGC Television. The executive producers are Benjamin Benedict, Quirin Berg, and Max Wiedemann for W&B; Andrew Eaton and Justin Thomson for Turbine; and Stuart Ford, Lourdes Diaz, and Miguel A. Palos Jr. for AGC. The production has received support from the MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, a regional fund that has backed numerous local productions. Worldwide sales, excluding the pre-sold UK and German markets, will be managed by AGC International.