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Sam Mendes Starts Filming Beatles Biopic Abbey Road Scene

8/17/2026

Summary

Mendes Films Abbey

Director Sam Mendes began filming the Abbey Road recreation for his Beatles biopic on August 16, 2026.
Harris Dickinson, Barry Keoghan, Paul Mescal and Joseph Quinn portrayed the Beatles crossing street, with 80 extras and road closures.
Beatle Paul McCartney and Beatle Ringo Starr approved the project, granting music rights.
Sony Pictures backs the series, appointing Mendes to direct installments through Neal Street Productions.
The four films open on April 7, 2028.

Summary

Ronan Portrays McCartney

Photographer Pattie Boyd said she was never contacted about the Beatles biopics.
Actress Saoirse Ronan will portray Linda McCartney, bringing a high-profile star to Paul’s first wife.
Actress Anna Sawai has been cast as Yoko Ono, marking the first time a Japanese star will play the avant-garde artist on screen.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 Apple Corps released the three-part Beatles Anthology series, the first artist-approved TV retrospective of the band’s career. The series set a precedent for high-budget, officially licensed Beatles projects, leading to Sam Mendes’s 2026 Abbey Road recreation and Sony Pictures’ planned 2028 four-film Beatles biopic rollout. The Beatles catalogue later entered digital platforms in 2010, expanding fan access.

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Mendes Films Abbey

Director Sam Mendes began filming the Abbey Road recreation for his Beatles biopic on August 16, 2026.
Harris Dickinson, Barry Keoghan, Paul Mescal and Joseph Quinn portrayed the Beatles crossing street, with 80 extras and road closures.
Beatle Paul McCartney and Beatle Ringo Starr approved the project, granting music rights.
Sony Pictures backs the series, appointing Mendes to direct installments through Neal Street Productions.
The four films open on April 7, 2028.

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