Paul Mescal Has Been Cast as Paul McCartney in Upcoming Beatles Biopics, Spills “Gladiator II” Director Ridley Scott

Gladiator II star Paul Mescal is going to play Beatles frontman Paul McCartney, according to Ridley Scott.

During a conversation with director Christopher Nolan that followed a Gladiatior II screening held at the Director’s Guild of America in Los Angeles on Dec. 10, Scott confirmed that his next feature will be a thriller titled The Dog Stars. But when Nolan asked if Mescal was set to star in that film, Scott confirmed that that was once the plan, but that Mescal’s busy schedule would interfere with the project.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, that’s when he let it slip and told Nolan that “Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”

Scott is referring to the quartet of Beatles biopics that will be directed by Sam Mendes for Sony Pictures. Each film will focus on an individual member of the Fab Four — McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr — and the stories will be told through each band member's perspective while weaving together interconnected stories of the band’s history.

Related: Sam Mendes Is Making Four Separate Beatles Movies About John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr

While no official casting announcements have been made by the studio, Mescal has been rumored as the top choice for McCartney for some time.

“It would be an incredible story to be attached to,” Mescal told Entertainment Tonight when pressed about the rumors. “The fact that Sam Mendes is attached to direct, like truly, it would be a dream come true.”

The isn't the first big casting slip, either. Last month, Beatles percussionist Starr told Entertainment Tonight that Saltburn star Barry Keoghan was set to play him. “I think it’s great,” he told the outlet when asked about his reaction to Keoghan’s rumored casting. “I believe he’s somewhere taking drum lessons, and I hope not too many.”

Related: How Paul McCartney Responded to Quincy Jones' Shocking Comments About The Beatles

All four movies are expected to release worldwide in 2027, with a press release noting that the project is the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles have granted the rights to their life stories and music for a feature-length film.

“I’m honored to be telling the story of the greatest rock band of all time, and excited to challenge the notion of what constitutes a trip to the movies," Mendes said in a statement regarding the project.

“We intend this to be a uniquely thrilling, and epic cinematic experience: four films, told from four different perspectives which tell a single story about the most celebrated band of all time,” Pippa Harris, Mendes' production partner at Neal Street, added in a statement. “To have The Beatles’ and Apple Corps’ blessing to do this is an immense privilege."

Read the original article on People