Brian Epstein Biopic Gets a Director
The biopic about Beatles manager Brian Epstein just got itself a director. Peyton Reed has been tapped to direct 'The Fifth Beatle.'
Information began leaking out a couple months ago about the project, which will focus on the years that Epstein managed the band -- from 1961 until his 1967 death. The movie will also explore Epstein's personal life, including the overdose that killed him and his homosexuality.
Reed, whose credits include 'Bring It On' and 'The Breakup,' will work from a screenplay written by Vivek J. Tiwary, who's adapting his graphic novel, also called 'The Fifth Beatle.' As previously announced, the movie will feature original Beatles recordings, essentially giving the project a stamp of approval.
“From the moment I read Vivek’s graphic novel, I knew I wanted to be the person to bring Brian’s story to the big screen,” Reed said in a statement (via The New York Times). “I’m a lifelong Beatles fan, obviously, but it’s Brian’s fascinating life that really blew me away and drew me to this project. He’s the ultimate outsider who, against all odds, became the ultimate insider. He was responsible for shepherding the most popular artistic expression of ‘love’ in the history of modern culture, and yet he wasn’t allowed to express his own love during that time.”
'The Fifth Beatle''s cast has not been announced yet, but a 2014 opening date is planned. There's also another movie about Epstein on the horizon, but there's little information on that one, other than the involvement of Tom Hanks' production company, director Paul McGuigan and 'Star Trek Into Darkness' star Benedict Cumberbatch, who'll reportedly play Epstein.