In recent years, biopics of celebrities have risen in popularity among filmmakers and moviegoers.
During the summer of 2022, audiences flocked to theaters to watch “Elvis,” directed by Baz Luhrmann. The next year, Sofia Coppola released “Priscilla,” a biopic about Elvis’s controversially young wife, which garnered a similar buzz from the public.
In December of last year, James Mangold’s “A Complete Unknown” was released in theaters and shared the story of Bob Dylan’s rise to fame.
The next big celebrities to get their biopics are the Beatles, who have held a long-time following since their debut in the 1960s.
“Beatlemania” was a term coined at the height of the band’s popularity. It referred to the swarms of ecstatic fans, usually young women, who would scream and cry in joy at the sight of the band members.
The Beatles have made an impact across generations, and are still famous today, reaching a demographic of kids, senior citizens and everyone in between.
On April 1, it was confirmed that Sam Mendes will be directing four separate biopic films: One for each Beatle. They are set to release in 2028.
This was exciting information for fans of the band. However, when the casting for these movies was announced, people were disappointed, to say the least.
Harris Dickinson will be playing John Lennon. Dickinson recently starred in the 2024 film, “Babygirl,” as Samuel. He is also most recognized for his role in “Where the Crawdads Sing” as Chase Andrews.
Paul Mescal will be playing Paul McCartney. Mescal is best known for his roles in “Normal People” as Connell and “Gladiator II” as Lucius. He recently finished starring in an Off-Broadway production of “A Streetcar Named Desire,” reprising his role as Stanley Kowalski. The show ran from March 11 to April 6 at the BAM Harvey Theater.
Joseph Quinn will be playing George Harrison. Quinn is best recognized for his role as Eddie in “Stranger Things,” who was quickly welcomed as a fan favorite. He also starred alongside Mescal in “Gladiator II” as Emperor Geta.
Barry Keoghan will be playing Ringo Starr. One of Keoghan’s most iconic roles is his portrayal of Oliver Quick in “Saltburn,” which captured the public’s attention during the winter of 2023.
While these actors have played iconic roles and gained loyal supporters of their work, the news of their casting was not received well. Many fans took to social media to share their thoughts on who would be playing each of the singers.
A common complaint was that the actors chosen didn’t resemble the Beatles.
Some fans made the point that they were famous for other roles and were already too well-known to play other celebrities. It was suggested that unknown actors would be better suited for the roles, as they would not be recognized from previous work.
This would make them more believable as the Beatles, rather than audiences seeing them as actors portraying the Beatles. Many fans also argued that casting directors typically give roles to whoever the most famous actors are at the moment.
Considering lesser-known actors for big roles would allow more opportunities and could welcome new talent to the film industry.