The first images of the cast for Sam Mendes' four-film Beatles biopic were revealed on January 29, 2026, through postcards hidden around the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

The studio released the photographs in an unconventional marketing move, distributing postcard-sized images throughout LIPA, an institution co-founded by Paul McCartney. The school encouraged students to search the campus and find the postcards, which featured Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.

Students quickly shared the images on social media, providing public access to the first look at the actors in their respective roles. Each photograph captures the performers in different settings that reflect different eras of the band's history, according to Pitch Fork.

Mescal appears as a youthful McCartney at the Cavern Club, while Dickinson's portrayal of Lennon reflects a late-1960s aesthetic showing him singing into a microphone. Keoghan and Quinn are shown in a studio setting with a more mature appearance.

This novel promotional approach ties directly to the band's roots in Liverpool, adding a thematic element to the reveal. Sony Pictures, which is producing and distributing the films globally, worked with LIPA to execute the strategy as part of a broader marketing plan for the biopic series.

The four-film cinematic event, titled "The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event," will release simultaneously in April 2028. Each film will focus on one band member and present the band's story from that individual's perspective. Director Mendes will helm all four movies, which are currently in production in London, World of Reel reported.

The supporting cast includes Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney, James Norton as Brian Epstein, Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono, and Aimee Lou Wood as Pattie Boyd. Additional cast members include Mia McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey, Harry Lloyd as George Martin, David Morrissey as Jim McCartney, and others in supporting roles.

The project represents a historic collaboration, marking the first time The Beatles' Apple Corps has granted a scripted film permission to depict the band members' life stories and music.

The ambitious undertaking carries a reported budget of approximately $100 million per film, totaling over $400 million. Production is expected to continue throughout 2026, with filming scheduled to take approximately 15 months to complete all four movies, as per USA Today.

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Biopic, Barry Keoghan