James Norton lands next movie role in star-studded Beatles movies – here’s who he’s playing and what to expect

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James Norton will portray Brian Epstein, The Beatles’ manager, in a four-part film series directed by Sam Mendes that tells the story of the iconic British rock band, *The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event*.

According to Deadline, the actor will be joining Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan, George Quinn, and Harris Dickinson, who are playing the iconic band members Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and John Lennon.

For the first time ever, The Beatles and Apple Corps have given permission for their personal stories and music to be featured in fictional movies. Though specifics are still scarce, scripts are anticipated to be written by Jez Butterworth, Peter Straughan, and Jack Thorne.

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It’s unclear exactly how much screen time he’ll have, but Edward Norton is expected to appear in all four upcoming films, which are scheduled to be released in April 2028.

“Each man has his own story, but together they are legendary,” teases the logline.

At CinemaCon, director Sam Mendes explained (according to Variety) that they aren’t creating just one Beatles movie, but a series of four. He hopes this approach will offer a more profound understanding of the band.

Who was Brian Epstein?

Brian Epstein, a music manager from Liverpool, famously discovered The Beatles in 1961. He hadn’t worked in the music industry before, but after seeing them play at the Cavern Club, he believed he could help them succeed. He met with the original band members – John, Paul, George, and Pete Best – and persuaded them to let him manage their career. Pete Best was later replaced by Ringo Starr.

After advising the band to improve their public image to appeal to more people, Epstein booked performances for McCartney, Harrison, Lennon, and Best, and worked to get them a recording contract. In May 1962, The Beatles signed with Parlophone, a label under EMI. When the group decided to replace Best with Starr, Epstein supported their decision.

Brian Epstein developed a very strong relationship with The Beatles during their six years together. He was John Lennon’s best man at his wedding to Cynthia Powell in 1962, and the following year, Lennon chose Epstein to be godfather to their son, Julian.

So, The Beatles totally blew up in the ’60s, releasing a ton of awesome albums like *Please Please Me*, *With the Beatles*, *A Hard Day’s Night*, *Beatles for Sale*, *Help!*, *Rubber Soul*, *Revolver*, and *Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band*. But while they were becoming huge, their manager, Brian Epstein, was actually going through a really tough time personally.

As a huge Beatles fan, I recently learned something really sad about Brian Epstein. Apparently, he was gay at a time when it was incredibly dangerous to be open about that. It seems like he had to keep it a secret from the public, but thankfully, his close friends – including The Beatles – really looked out for him and helped him keep his privacy. I read on The Liverpool Beatles Museum’s website that living with that secret was a huge weight on him and sadly contributed to his battles with depression and addiction. It just makes you appreciate how much they supported him, and how tragic the whole situation was.

By 1967, the manager had begun seeking treatment for drug addiction at a private clinic in London called the Priory.

Brian Epstein passed away on August 27, 1967, at the young age of 32, due to an accidental overdose. Paul McCartney described it as a deeply upsetting and frightening loss, saying, “We loved him.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with drug addiction, you can find helpful information and support at FRANK or Action on Addiction.

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2025-10-15 18:50