‘The Beatles’ Biopics Cast Paul McCartney’s Dad, John Lennon’s Aunt, Plus Roadies, Managers and More

The supporting cast for Sam Mendes's ambitious quartet of Beatles biopics has been finalized, bringing key figures from the band's inner circle to life. This Sony Pictures project will feature David Morrissey as Paul McCartney's father, Jim, and Leanne Best as John Lennon's Aunt Mimi, who raised him. Other crucial roles include Bobby Schofield as long-serving road manager Neil Aspinall, Daniel Hoffmann-Gill as roadie Mal Evans, and Arthur Darvill as press officer Derek Taylor. In a notable casting, Adam Pally will portray the controversial manager Allen Klein, whose tenure is often cited by music historians as a primary accelerant of the group's final dissolution. This deep focus on the supporting players underscores the films' intent to examine the entire ecosystem that fueled and, at times, fractured the world's most famous band.

These actors will join the previously announced core ensemble. The four Beatles will be played by Paul Mescal (Paul McCartney), Harrison Dickinson (John Lennon), Barry Keoghan (Ringo Starr), and Joseph Quinn (George Harrison). Their story will be framed by significant figures like Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney and Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono. As initially reported by Variety, Harry Lloyd is confirmed to play producer George Martin, the architectural genius behind their studio sound. James Norton will embody Brian Epstein, the manager who discovered The Beatles in Liverpool's Cavern Club and masterminded their early fame before his tragic death in 1967. Remaining key roles, such as Cynthia Lennon and Ravi Shankar, are still to be cast.

The project, officially titled "The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event," is a joint venture between Sony and Mendes's Neal Street Productions. It represents a bold narrative gamble, with each feature-length film recounting the band's saga from the unique perspective of a different member. This approach, crafted by screenwriters Jez Butterworth, Peter Straughan, and Jack Thorne, aims to deconstruct the monolithic Beatles myth into a nuanced, multi-faceted portrait. "The goal is to show how four distinct personal histories converged and collided to create a cultural phenomenon," a source close to the production noted, highlighting the experimental nature of the undertaking.

Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes, whose film "1917" pioneered the one-shot war movie aesthetic, will direct and produce all four installments. He is joined by producers Pippa Harris, Julie Pastor, and Alexandra Derbyshire. Securing a filmmaker of Mendes's stature for a multi-year commitment of this scale is a significant move, reflecting Sony's substantial investment in the project's artistic integrity and box-office potential. Currently in production, the films are slated for a unique global theatrical rollout throughout April 2028. This staggered release strategy is a deliberate attempt to recreate a sustained event in cinema, echoing the band's own transformative impact on the 1960s. By forgoing a streaming debut, Sony is making a pronounced statement about the enduring power of the communal theatrical experience for a story of this magnitude.