EXCLUSIVE: The Fab Phonies! Studio Bosses Running Scared After Fans Bash Early Looks at Beatles' Biopic Stars
Beatles biopic stars has been facing intense fan backlash after early looks at the actors sparked criticism online.
March 18 2026, Published 6:15 a.m. ET
Sony's four-movie Beatles biopic is in full-scale production mode, but behind the scenes, various glitches threaten to turn it into a full-scale marketing disaster, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Starring as the Fab Four are English actors Harris Dickinson as John Lennon and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, along with Irish stars Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney and Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr.
But studio execs flipped out when the Hollywood hunks failed to pass muster as the world's most famous musicians, according to insiders.
Sony Faces Beatles Casting Backlash
Sony's Beatles biopic cast faced criticism after early costume photos sparked fan backlash.
"The reaction to the first still photos of the actors in costume as the Beatles has not been what Sony hoped for and it's required a rethink around marketing plans," revealed a source.
"On one hand, this is only a minor speed bump because the films are still more than two years away from their planned April 2028 release.
"That said, nobody outside Sony thinks these guys are the spitting image of the real-life Beatles in the late '60s. Right now, they're looking a lot more like the Drab Four than the Fab Four!"
Casting Doubts Could Still Fade
Daniel Craig's early backlash as James Bond is cited as a comparison for criticism facing the Beatles biopic cast.
Despite that, an insider pointed out that similar problems with actors and their roles have worked out.
The source said: "Fans hated the first still photo of Daniel Craig as James Bond, only for Craig to eventually emerge as the definitive 007.
"And even though Michael Fassbender looked nothing like Steve Jobs when he played the Apple cofounder on the big screen, he still got an Oscar nomination.
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Director Sam Mendes is leading Sony's four-film Beatles biopic project backed by Apple Corps.
"The finished films are what's going to matter here. Sony has time on their side and for now, they're letting director Sam Mendes cook. He's supremely confident that these movies will earn a ton of money, and Paul and Ringo trust him implicitly.
"But Sony, in conjunction with the Beatles-controlled Apple Corps, is in the process of reevaluating their publicity strategy. They're open to letting more outside journalists into the filming process, which they believe will generate more public goodwill.
"But that's a lot easier said than done. Beatles fans can be overly critical about every little thing and these films won't be an exception."
