Despite recently losing its director just three weeks into shooting, “Midas Man,” the music biopic about The Beatles’ wunderkind manager Brian Epstein, has now cast its fab four.
John Lennon will be played by Jonah Lees (“The Letter for the King”), Paul McCartney by Blake Richardson (“Eleven Days”), George Harrison by Leo Harvey Elledge (“Creation Stories”) and Ringo Starr by newcomer Campbell Wallace. (See first look images above and below).
Joining them will be Adam Lawrence (“Peaky Blinders”) as Pete Best and former late night host Jay Leno as Ed Sullivan, who hosted the Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in 1964.
James Loxley
Already cast is Jacob Fortune-Lloyd in the lead role as Epstein, the music mogul who was credited with turning the Beatles into superstars.
Emily Watson (“Gosford Park”) will play Epstein’s mother Malka, Eddie Marsan (“Ridley Road”) his father Harry and Omari Douglas (“It’s a Sin”) as Epstein’s friend Lonnie Trimble.
Other cast members include Rosie Day (“Outlander”) as Beatles contemporary Cilla Black, Lukas Gage (“Euphoria”) as Tex Ellington and Charley Palmer Rothwell (“Jack Ryan”) as record producer George Martin.
The film was due to be directed by Jonas Åkerlund, who parted ways with the production just three weeks into shooting, forcing the film to temporarily shut down.
Åkerlund has now been replaced by “Vinyl” director Sara Sugarman.
“The actors playing the Beatles are an extraordinary group they ooze that very visceral feeling of the ’60s, are charming, playful, and so authentic and I have no doubt that Jay Leno will capture the essence of Ed Sullivan perfectly,” Sugarman said in a statement. “His own experience as an American television host will bring forward a natural, and accurate portrayal and add an incredible element of modern showbiz to the story.”