'Game of Thrones' star tapped to play iconic producer George Martin in 'The Beatles'
'Game of Thrones' star Harry Lloyd has been tapped to play iconic producer George Martin in Sam Mendes' upcoming four-part Beatles biopic. 'The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event' is due for release in 2028, and Lloyd now joins the fold as the 'fifth Beatle'.
Best known for playing Viserys Targaryen in the first season of 'Game of Thrones', Lloyd now joins a star-studded cast Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison, and Harrison Dickinson as John Lennon. The casting was confirmed by Variety and was revealed by Martin's son, Giles, in a pre-recorded video on The Ryan Tubridy Show on Virgin Radio U.K. "He’s really good. He’s very committed," Giles said.
Martin was affectionately called the “fifth Beatle” after the late producer made headlines for his in-depth involvement with each of the band's albums. He also wrote most of the string and orchestral arrangements. He passed away in 2016, aged 90. As for Lloyd, his acting credits include 'Legion', 'Wolf Hall', and he will next be seen in 'Slow Horses' Season 6.
In related news, Starr revealed his conversations with Mendes about the section of the movie focusing on the legendary singer. Starr said Mendes "had a writer [involved] – very good writer, great reputation, and he wrote it great, but it had nothing to do with Maureen and me," he told The New York Times. "That’s not how we were. I’d say, ‘We would never do that.'"
Keoghan, who plays Starr in the biopic, said he was too nervous to meet a member of the original band. "When I was talking to him, I couldn’t look at him. I was nervous … he was like, ‘You can look at me'. My job is to observe and take in kind of mannerisms and study, but I want to humanise him and bring feelings to him, not just sort of imitate him."
Mendes believed the movie was more than just a biopic. "We’re not just making one film about the Beatles — we’re making four,” he said. "Perhaps this is a chance to understand them a little more deeply," according to The Guardian. At the time of writing, the film is under production with filming slated to extend well into the final months of 2026.
Watch this space for more updates on The Beatles — A Four-Film Cinematic Event'.