Why 'Beatles' director Sam Mendes is releasing four different films about band on the same day

First look images have finally shown what the four actors set to play The Beatles in a set of films coming out this year look like.

Sony’s promotion for the upcoming four Beatles films that are being directed by 1917 and Skyfall director Sir Sam Mendes has begun in earnest today, with fans in Liverpool being handed out postcards showing what the four actors look like as their characters.

Whilst some called for the roles to be played by lesser known actors, Sony ended up filling them with some of the biggest celebrities around.

Paul Mescal will play Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan will play Ringo Starr, Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, and Joseph Quinn is set to play George Harrison.

Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr (Sony)

Rather than one major film though Sony are doing a world’s first, releasing four different films all in the same year releasing on the same day which will tell the story of each individual member of the band.

The move is unprecedented, and will see some of the same major events involving the band covered from all four perspectives.

Sam Mendes has spoken about the decision, which could possibly see an Oscars race involving four different actors who are being campaigned for their own film whilst also appearing in three of their main competitor’s.

Writing in The Times last year the director explained that ‘as a film-maker, one is always looking to find new ways to look at the past.’

He went on to add: “To turn historical events so they catch the light in new and different ways. My film 1917 was an attempt to do this.

Joseph Quinn as George Harrison (Sony)

“The Beatles films we are making now also fall into this category and here again I felt the same portal to the past had been opened.”

Speaking at CinemaCon, he went on to explain that there was simply too much story for one film, adding: “Each one is told from the particular perspective of just one of the guys.

“They intersect in different ways — sometimes overlapping, sometimes not.”

All four of the films are set to be released on the very same day in 2028, April 7, and will feature a star-studded cast far beyond the ‘Fab Four’.

Saoirse Ronan has been cast as Linda McCartney, with Anna Sawai set to play Yoko Ono, and Aimee Lou Wood, James Norton, Harry Lloyd, Mia McKenna Bruce, and David Morissey filling out the supporting cast.

Harris Dickinson as John Lennon (Sony)

Reactions to the first pictures of the four actors as their characters have been mixed, but many have pointed out how historically accurate they are.

One fan on Reddit was less convinced though, saying: “Paul Mescal looks surprisingly better than I thought he would. Not too sure about the others.”

Another comment said: “Actor playing Paul looks the best here. John looks okay, but it's not a very definitive photo.

“Ringo looks like if someone put prosthetics on a person to look like Ringo...it's both on-the-nose and all-wrong somehow, ha. And there's no passing resemblance to George here besides hair and beard.”

At the end of the day, no one was going to be 100% pleased – but the Beatles cinematic event is looking like a must-watch for good or for bad.