Sam Mendes moves the filming of the Beatles films to Abbey Road
The production company informs neighbors and businesses around that they will set the street in 1960s London
BarcelonaFilmmaker Sam Mendes will move the filming of the four Beatles films to Abbey Road in the coming weeks, one of the most important settings in the band's history. Mendes is preparing four films – one for each member of the band – starring Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, and Harris Dickinson as John Lennon. For the filming, Mendes will set the popular street in 1960s London with vintage cars and the participation of nearly 80 extras. The headline Deadline explains that Sony Pictures has informed residents and business owners in the area this week about street closures and temporary diversions on bus routes.
For now, it is not yet known if scenes will be filmed in the building of the famous EMI studios, located on the same street and where the Beatles recorded 190 of the 210 songs in their discography. Catalonia has also been part of the filming of the movies, specifically Barcelona and Salou. Mescal took advantage of the filming to stroll through the Gràcia neighborhood and attend the Primavera Sound festival accompanied by Harris Dickinson. The casting for the films also includes Saoirse Ronan as Linda McCartney; Mia McKenna-Bruce as Maureen Starkey, Ringo Starr's first wife; Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono, John Lennon's wife, and Aimee Lou as Pattie Boyd, George Harrison's first wife and muse of the rock anthem Layla by Eric Clapton, whom she married years later. The provisional release date for the four films is April 2028.
Initially, the band's last album was to be called Everest, not for the mountain but for the favorite cigarette brand of the sound engineer during those sessions, Geoff Emerick. For the cover, the Beatles were to travel to the Himalayas and photograph themselves on the mythical mountain. However, Paul McCartney suggested changing the idea: he proposed titling the album Abbey Road and going down to the street in front of the studios to take the photograph for a cover that would become iconic. Among the numerous artists who have passed through Abbey Road studios are Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Oasis, Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga, and Adele.
