Beatlemania hits London as fans recreate New York hysteria 62 years later for upcoming biopic

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Sixty-two years ago today, The Beatles—known as the Fab Four—caused quite a sensation when they first visited New York City.

The enthusiastic crowd suggested Beatlemania hadn’t faded, as American police officers worked hard to manage the excited fans.

Interestingly, this footage comes from a set of four connected films. Extras in London were used to recreate the crowds that greeted The Beatles as they arrived at The Plaza Hotel in New York City on February 7, 1964.

Sam Mendes, the director of films like Skyfall, used the outside of The Athenaeum, a private club in Pall Mall, as a filming location.

Filming in London to stand in for New York City, Mendes restaged the scene of the band being greeted before their historic first performance on The Ed Sullivan Show – the event that launched Beatlemania worldwide.

Classic cars, motorcycles, and costumes from the 1960s helped transport the city back in time for a special event celebrating The Beatles with screenings of four of their films.

The film featured Paul Mescal, 30, portraying Paul McCartney, alongside Harris Dickinson, 29, as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn, 32, as George Harrison, and Barry Keoghan, 33, as Ringo Starr.

Wearing stylish suits from the 1960s and their famous haircuts, the band members were filmed pushing through screaming fans while police tried to control the crowd. This scene reflected how overwhelmed they were experiencing American fame for the very first time.

Mescal’s coat was ripped during a scuffle with the crowd, and Keoghan showed Starr’s love for technology by filming the surrounding mayhem with an old-fashioned video camera.

Sam Mendes is creating a four-part film series about The Beatles, with each film focusing on the story of the band as seen through the eyes of a different member.

All four films are due to be released simultaneously in 2028.

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2026-02-04 04:18