Internet Heartthrobs Tapped for Beatles Biopics: Will Gen Z Fall for Beatlemania All Over Again?
Beatles biopics 2028 cast has the internet buzzing as a new generation of stars are set to embody the most legendary rock band of all time in an ambitious four-film project by Oscar-winning director Sir Sam Mendes.
Revealed during a show-stopping announcement at Las Vegas’ CinemaCon, the films will see Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr. The casting plays directly into the social media-fueled fandom of what many dub “the internet’s boyfriends”—charismatic actors with massive Gen Z followings.
With each film focusing on a single band member and weaving their stories together, Mendes is aiming to craft what Sony Pictures calls the “first bingeable theatrical experience.”
“They’re four very different people,” Mendes said. “Perhaps this is a chance to understand them more deeply.”
From Screen Crush to Rock Legends
The decision to cast four of the most followed and adored actors of the moment is no coincidence. Paul Mescal’s rise from Normal People to Oscar-nominated status in Aftersun, and upcoming blockbuster fame in Gladiator II, mirrors the kind of hysteria the Beatles once commanded. Barry Keoghan, who stunned in Saltburn and The Banshees of Inisherin, brings intense screen presence and unpredictable energy.
Joseph Quinn and Harris Dickinson, both breakout stars in Stranger Things and Babygirl respectively, complete the modern-day Fab Four.
Entertainment writers suggest the casting is a calculated move to pull younger audiences—many of whom didn’t grow up on Beatles music—into theaters.
“These actors bring Gen Z’s version of Beatlemania,” said celebrity correspondent Lisa McLoughlin. “They trend online, spark edits, and attract fans who otherwise wouldn’t connect to the Beatles’ legacy.”
Cinema’s New Beatles Moment?
The project is the first time the Beatles’ estates have authorized a full scripted portrayal using the band’s music and personal histories. Coming four years after Peter Jackson’s Get Back documentary and fresh off the release of “Now and Then,” the so-called final Beatles song, the biopics appear to be another attempt to cement the band’s legacy for the future.
Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr—now in their 80s—have played key roles in keeping the Beatles relevant in recent years, with McCartney headlining Glastonbury at 80 and pushing new music to chart-topping success.
The multi-part biopic strategy aims to build anticipation and create a cinematic event akin to the “Barbenheimer” summer of 2023. But there are risks.
“You’re asking audiences to show up four times. If the first movie flops, the rest could suffer,” said Deadline’s Dade Hayes.
Liverpool Left Behind?
Despite the buzz, some criticism has emerged over the lack of Liverpudlian actors in the main roles—particularly given how central Liverpool is to the Beatles’ origin story. A viral TikTok lamented the oversight, saying, “This could’ve been a chance for Liverpool to shine again.”
McLoughlin echoed that sentiment: “The Beatles themselves were unknowns when they started. This was a golden opportunity to cast fresh talent from Liverpool.”
Concerns also swirl around the ability of some actors—like Keoghan—to convincingly pull off a Scouse accent, with critics referencing his performance in Saltburn as lacking consistency.
A Gamble Worth Taking?
Still, the commercial logic is hard to ignore. With a music biopic boom underway—thanks to hits like Elvis and Timothée Chalamet’s upcoming Bob Dylan portrayal—studios are betting on recognizable faces, viral hype, and Beatles nostalgia to bring audiences back to theaters.
As Hunter Davies, the band’s only official biographer, told BBC Radio 4, “The longer we get from the Beatles, the bigger they become.”
And if Mendes’ Beatles quadrilogy hits the right notes, 2028 might just be the year Beatlemania is born again—this time, in full TikTok-ready technicolor.
