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Almost anyone who grew up with the Beatles knows a few key things about their manager, Brian Epstein, the subject of the new biopic “Midas Man.” You might know that he ran a popular record store in Liverpool when he first saw the Beatles perform at the Cavern Club and realized that it was his destiny to manage them. You almost surely know that it was Epstein who made over the Beatles’ image, taking four scruffy working-class rockers in black leather jackets, dressing them in collarless gray suits and giving them those fabled moptop haircuts — the look that launched a thousand screams. Or the visionary way he spearheaded the Beatles’ international career, cutting the deal for them to appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” Or the fact that Epstein was gay, something he kept well-hidden.

If you’ve ever seen footage of Brian Epstein, you also know the most resonant and,...

In a recent conversation with HeyUGuys, rising star Blake Richardson shared insights about his role as Paul McCartney in Midas Man, the new Amazon Prime Video biographical film that delves into the life of legendary music manager Brian Epstein.

The film, directed by Joe Stephenson and penned by Brigit Grant and Jonathan Wakeham, explores Epstein’s influence on the music world in the 1960s, especially his role in shaping the Beatles’ careers. Playing one of the most iconic figures in British popular music history, Richardson discussed the pressures and excitement of embodying McCartney, describing how he prepared to capture not only McCartney’s mannerisms but also who person he was then.

Richardson opened up about his admiration for Epstein’s contributions to music and his approach to playing McCartney alongside an impressive cast. The film stars Jacob Fortune-Lloyd in the lead role of Brian Epstein, with other notable actors like Emily Watson,...

As the ‘fifth Beatle’ Brian Epstein, Fortune-Lloyd’s performance holds an otherwise sanitised narrative together in well-meaning biopic

British actor Jacob Fortune-Lloyd stars as the Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein in this uneven but well-meaning biopic. The screenplay by Brigit Grant and Jonathan Wakeham weaves the story in and around the two or three main facets of Epstein that are always invoked in every potted bio: he was instrumental in the Beatles’ huge international success (Paul McCartney would later describe him as “the fifth Beatle”), he was Jewish, and he was gay. It certainly unfurls itself on a broader canvas than the 1991 drama The Hours and Times, although that tight, intimate low-budget work, which featured David Angus as Epstein and a young Ian Hart as John Lennon on a weekend trip to Barcelona together, still stands up as one of the most nuanced and insightful works of Beatles-themed speculative fiction. But this one has fancier costumes,...

Biopic of The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein Midas Man needed a lot of Help! to get over the finish line. Here’s the trailer.

Rock biopics, it seems, are a difficult genre to navigate. Bohemian Rhapsody originally had Bryan Singer at the helm before Dexter Fletcher finished the film, for instance.

A similar fate has befallen Midas Man, a biopic of The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein. It began production in 2021 with Jonas Åkerlund directing, only for Sara Sugarman to take over later that year. When Sugarman departed, Joe Stephenson eventually took the reins to finally get the film over the finish line. In each case, the directors are said to have left over “creative differences”.

Midas Man wrapped production in 2023, and just over a year later, the once troubled movie is only a few weeks away from release.

Jacob Fortune-Lloyd stars as Epstein, Ed Speleers as Tex Ellington, Jay Leno as Ed Sullivan,...

Suzy Eddie Izzard (“Stay Close”) and Ed Speelers (“Outlander”) are the new additions to the cast of “Midas Man,” the delayed film on The Beatles manager Brian Epstein that has now wrapped filming.

The film began production with Jonas Akerlund (“Lords of Chaos”) as director, who departed the project for unknown reasons. Sara Sugarman (“Vinyl”) was attached to the project for a year before Joe Stephenson (“Doctor Jekyll”) stepped in. Stephenson has just wrapped the shoot, canning what will be 95% of the completed film, Variety understands.

Written by Brigit Grant, the film follows Epstein, manager of The Beatles from 1962 until his untimely death at the age of 32 in 1967. Epstein’s impact extended beyond the Fab Four, encompassing British Invasion acts such as Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas.

Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (“The Queens Gambit”) plays Epstein. The ensemble cast includes Emily Watson, Eddie Marsan and Jay Leno as Ed Sullivan.

Grab your fishing tackle and make sure you have a good alibi because A24‘s God’s Creatures trailer is here. Saela Davis and Anna Rose Homer direct this chilling tale based on a story by Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly and a screenplay by Shane Crowley. The story takes place in a windswept fishing village, where a mother becomes torn between protecting her beloved son and her sense of right and wrong. A lie she tells for him rips her family apart, and the close-knit community they live in starts to crumble.

In A24’s God’s Creatures trailer, we see the makings of powerhouse performances by Emily Watson, Paul Mescal, and Aisling Franciosi. The film debuted in the Directors’ Fortnight section at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Audiences were reportedly captivated by the film’s dark events and swept into a character-driven mystery that left them disturbed.

God’s Creatures begs audiences to...

Exclusive: Filming on Beatles manager movie Midas Man did not restart last month as planned.

The plan was for filming to recommence in late November but the restart has been pushed to late January as new director Sara Sugarman gets acclimatized and the production has a planned pause over Christmas. The film’s original director Jonas Akerlund left the project in mid-November. Some of the original crew also left.

The independent movie will have had a three-month break from filming by the time cameras roll again and multiple people working on the film have now expressed concern to us about the project’s funding. We understand the feature has not been bonded.

However, the production tells us there are no funding or scheduling issues: “There is no delay. Midas Man filming remains very much on schedule to complete the movie. The new production team is now on board. U.S.

The actors portraying the Fab Four have been revealed for Beatles manager movie Midas Man.

Jonah Lees (The Letter For The King) will play John Lennon, musician Blake Richardson (of band New Hope Club) will be Paul McCartney, Leo Harvey Elledge (Creation Stories) is George Harrison, and Campbell Wallace will play Ringo Starr. Here are some first-look images of the newcomer actors as the iconic quartet at the famous Abbey Road Studios in London.

Adam Lawrence (Peaky Blinders) has joined cast as Pete Best and, as we revealed earlier this week, Jay Leno (The Tonight Show) has joined as Ed Sullivan.

Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (The Queen’s Gambit) plays the lead role of Beatles manager Brian Epstein, Emily Watson is Epstein’s mother Malka “Queenie” Epstein, Eddie Marsan portrays Brian’s father and successful businessman Harry, Omari Douglas is Lonnie Trimble, Epstein’s ever-trusted confidant, and Rosie Day plays Merseybeat star Cilla Black.

Exclusive: Jay Leno is set to make a rare feature appearance in Midas Man — the film about Beatles manager Brian Epstein — playing another celebrated TV personality: Ed Sullivan.

The former Tonight Show host last appeared in a live-action movie as a character other than himself way back in the ’90s. He has voiced a number of animations, however, and small-screen roles include ABC’s Last Man Standing.

Midas Man, currently in production, stars The Queen’s Gambit‘s Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as the late Beatles manager. The project charts Epstein’s role in the creative explosion of the 1960s and his sizable influence on pop music.

The Fab Four made several appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, including three in February 1964 that were among their first appearances in front of an American audience. Their first appearance, on February 9, was seen by a then-record 73 million viewers and came to be regarded as a...

Director Sara Sugarman is set to replace Jonas Åkerlund on “Midas Man,” the biopic of The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein, Variety understands.

“Midas Man” tells the story of Brian Epstein, the man who is considered responsible for launching The Beatles into the stratosphere. He also managed other hit musical acts from the 1960s including Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla Black before tragically succumbing to an overdose at the age of 32.

During his lifetime Epstein was also forced to hide the fact that he was gay due to societal attitudes towards at the time.

“The Queen’s Gambit” star Jacob Fortune Lloyd (above right) has been cast as wunderkind Epstein in the film, with “Outlander’s” Rosie Day set to play Cilla Black.

Sugarman has previously directed “Vinyl,” “House of Versace” and “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen” with Lindsay Lohan. She recently wrapped on feature film “Save the Cinema” with...

Exclusive: Midas Man, the biopic of Beatles manager Brian Epstein, has hired a new director as it looks to get back into production as soon as possible.

Sara Sugarman, known for directing movies including music comedy Vinyl, Lifetime’s House Of Versace and Disney’s Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen, is newly aboard.

As we revealed earlier this month, the movie entered hiatus as producers sought to replace director Jonas Akerlund.

Akerlund told us today: “I regret that things haven’t turned out as we had planned on Midas Man. I wish Jacob [Fortune-Lloyd] and the team the best with the film.”

The Queen’s Gambit co-star Jacob Fortune-Lloyd stars as Epstein in the biopic, alongside Emily Watson, Eddie Marsan, Lukas Gage, Rosie Day and Bill Milner. The project charts Epstein’s role in the creative explosion of the 1960s and his sizable influence on pop music.

We understand exit terms...

Exclusive: Midas Man, the biopic of Beatles manager Brian Epstein, has shut down mid-shoot with director Jonas Akerlund unlikely to continue, we can reveal.

Filming on the project began last month in Liverpool with cast including The Queen’s Gambit star Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Epstein, Emily Watson, Eddie Marsan, Lukas Gage, Rosie Day and Bill Milner.

The production has issued us with the following statement: “The director of Midas Man Jonas Akerlund is taking a break from the film. Until some matters become clearer we are not able to add any further comment to this statement. In the meantime we can confirm that filming of Midas Man will continue in London in November before breaking for Christmas. Filming will restart in early January in Los Angeles.”

Sources close to the production have told us it is unlikely Swedish filmmaker Akerlund returns to direct the project and we understand there are...

Exclusive: Son Of Rambow and X-Men: First Class actor Bill Milner has joined Brian Epstein biopic Midas Man as Brian’s brother Clive Epstein who assumed control of his brother’s music store business.

Filming is underway in Liverpool on the movie about the visionary music manager Brian Epstein, who famously discovered the Beatles.

Starring are The Queen’s Gambit actor Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as the movie’s titular character, Emily Watson, Eddie Marsan, Lukas Gage, Charley Palmer Rothwell, and Rosie Day as Cilla Black, the singer who was also managed by Epstein.

Jonas Åkerlund is directing from a screenplay based on a screen story by Brigit Grant and written by Jonathan Wakeham.

Producers are Kevin Proctor and Perry Trevers at StudioPOW, with Trevor Beattie and Jeremy Chatterton at Trevor Beattie Films. Mister Smith Entertainment is handling sales and has closed a raft of international deals.

Milner is in post-production on movie thriller Burial.

“Midas Man,” the biopic about legendary music manager Brian Epstein, has begun shooting in Liverpool, U.K., giving fans the first look at Jacob Fortune-Lloyd’s transformation into the title role (above left).

The actor, who has starred in “Medici” and “The Queen’s Gambit,” will portray the always dapper Epstein in the StudioPOW and Trevor Beattie Films production alongside Emily Watson (“Everest”) as Epstein’s mother, Eddie Marsan (“Ridley Road”) as his father Harry, Lukas Gage (“Euphoria”) as his lover Tex Ellington and Charley Palmer Rothwell (“Jack Ryan”) who will play The Beatles’ record producer George Martin

The film has also cast “Outlander” star Rosie Day as another one of Epstein’s acts, singer Cilla Black. Jonas Åkerlund (“Lords of Chaos”) directs.

The film will shoot across Liverpool, London and the U.S. this fall.

Epstein, who died of an overdose at the age of 32, was responsible for discovering and...

Rosie Day (Outlander) has boarded the cast of Midas Man, the biopic of visionary music manager Brian Epstein, who famously discovered the Beatles. Day will play Cilla Black, the singer who was also managed by Epstein.

Producers StudioPow and Trevor Beattie Films have today unveiled a first look at The Queen’s Gambit actor Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as the movie’s titular character.

Also starring are Emily Watson, Eddie Marsan, Lukas Gage and Charley Palmer Rothwell. The project will shoot on location in Liverpool, London and the U.S. this fall for release in 2022.

Producers are Kevin Proctor and Perry Trevers at StudioPOW, with Trevor Beattie and Jeremy Chatterton at Trevor Beattie Films. Jonas Åkerlund is directing from a screenplay based on a screen story by Brigit Grant and written by Jonathan Wakeham.

As a writer, Rosie Day’s debut feature film Pixie Dust was also produced by StudioPow.

Cast is rounding out on Midas Man, a feature film telling the story of visionary music manager Brian Epstein.

Joining the previously announced Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Epstein are Emily Watson, who will play his mother, Eddie Marsan as his father, and It’s a Sin breakout Omari Douglas as Lonnie Trimble, Epstein’s ever-trusted confidant and friend.

Jonas Akerlund (Lords Of Chaos) is directing the pic, which comes from producers Kevin Proctor and Perry Trevers at StudioPOW and Trevor Beattie and Jeremy Chatterton at Trevor Beattie Films.

Jonathan Wakeham wrote the screenplay based on a story by Brigit Grant. The plot tracks how Epstein shot to fame at the age of 25 by discovering a series of artists including The Beatles, Cilla Black and Gerry and The Pacemakers, before his life ended tragically at just 32.

Peter Dunne, Nicola Pearcey and Mark Borkowski are executive producers. Twickenham Studios Chairman and co-owner Sunny Vohra...

Streaming

“Schumacher,” a documentary on champion German Formula 1 racing driver Michael Schumacher, will stream on Netflix from Sept. 15. The film follows his journey from his humble beginnings to the top of Formula 1 where he dominated with seven world championship titles and a total of 91 victories.

In addition to his father and his brother Ralf, Schumacher’s wife Corinna and his two children Gina and Mick, by now a Formula 1 driver himself, speak openly for the first time, as do his closest peers and competitors. Among them are Jean Todt, Bernie Ecclestone, Sebastian Vettel, Mika Häkkinen, Damon Hill, Flavio Briatore, David Coulthard, Willi Weber, Luca di Montezemolo, Piero Ferrari, his manager Sabine Kehm.

Benjamin Seikel and Vanessa Nöcker from B|14 Film GmbH produced “Schumacher”. Hanns-Bruno Kammertöns, Vanessa Nöcker and Michael Wech directed the film.

London based Rocket Science is representing sales and distribution of the film worldwide and facilitated the partnership with Netflix.

Exclusive: Brisk business has been concluded on Midas Man, the feature about the life of The Beatles manager Brian Epstein, by sales outfit Mister Smith Entertainment.

Signature Entertainment has picked up rights for UK and Ireland following the recent Cannes virtual market. Deals have also been concluded for Australia/Nz (Transmission Films), Baltics (Acme), Benelux (WW Entertainment), Cis (Exponenta), Ex-Yugoslavia (Blitz), France (Metropolitan), Italy (Eagle Pictures), Poland (Monolith Films), Portugal (Nos Lusomundo), Scandinavia (Mislabel), Spain (Tripictures), Switzerland (Ascot Elite).

The project will shoot in Liverpool and London for release in 2022. Jonas Akerlund (Lords Of Chaos) is directing. Starring are The Queen’s Gambit’s Jacob Fortune-Lloyd as Epstein, with further cast to be confirmed.

The screenplay has been written by Jonathan Wakeham from a story by Brigit Grant. It will follow Epstein’s tumultuous life which saw him shoot to fame at the tender age of 25 but ended in tragedy...

UK actor to lead a biopic of The Beatles’ late manager.

Jonas Åkerlund’s upcoming biopic of music manager Brian Epstein has cast The Queen’s Gambit breakout Jacob Fortune-Lloyd in the lead role.

Midas Man will begin shooting this autumn, Screen has confirmed. It will film in the UK at Twickenham Studios and on location in London and Liverpool as well as the US.

Nicola Pearcey, former president of Lionsgate UK and Europe, has also joined the project as executive producer through Picnik Entertainment.

Swedish director Åkerlund will also have creative input on the film’s soundtrack. His previous...

The Queen’s Gambit break-out Jacob Fortune-Lloyd is to star as Beatles manager Brian Epstein in biopic Midas Man.

As previously announced, filmmaker and acclaimed music director Jonas Akerlund (Lords Of Chaos) is directing and will have an input on the soundtrack.

The film will chart Epstein’s (aka Eppy) role in the cultural revolution and creative explosion of the 1960s, and his sizable yet often unheralded influence on pop music, and its colossal impact worldwide.

Shoot will take place at Twickenham Studios and on location in London, Liverpool, and the U.S. Dates have not yet been revealed.

Rising Brit actor Fortune-Lloyd, whose credits also include Wolf Hall and Medici, played chess prodigy-turned-journalist Townes, alongside Anya Taylor-Joy, in Netflix’s hit series The Queen’s Gambit.

The film is being produced by Kevin Proctor and Perry Trevers at StudioPOW (Funny Cow) and Trevor Beattie and Jeremy Chatterton at Trevor Beattie Films...

Midas Man, a biopic of The Beatles manager Brian Epstein, will be directed by multi-Grammy winner Jonas Akerlund (Lords Of Chaos).

From producers Trevor Beattie Films and StudioPOW, the film will tell the story of the visionary music manager and impresario who was often referred to as the ‘Fifth Beatle’. He took the music industry by storm at the tender age of 25 and for seven years had a tumultuous and dazzling career. Among his other discoveries were Gerry And The Pacemakers, Cilla Black and Billy J Kramer and he opened his own theater to promote the likes of Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Cream and Pink Floyd. Epstein’s rise was tragically cut short when he died of a drug overdose aged only 32.

The original screenplay comes from Brigit Grant and Jonathan Wakeham. Mister Smith Entertainment is handling international sales. The plan is to shoot the film in London, Liverpool and...

Mister Smith Entertainment to handle worldwide sales on ‘Midas Man’.

A biopic of tragic Beatles manager Brian Epstein is in the works and will be sold worldwide by Mister Smith Entertainment.

The film, titled Midas Man, will be directed by Swedish filmmaker Jonas Åkerlund, best known for his music video work with Madonna and Paul McCartney as well as features Lords Of Chaos and Polar.

Produced by Trevor Beattie Films (Spitfire) and Studio Pow (Cordelia), the film will shoot in London, Liverpool and the Us ahead of release in 2021. It has received backing from association with Beijing-based Er Dong Pictures,...

Multi-Grammy winning director Jonas Akerlund is to helm “Midas Man,” a movie about The Beatles’ manager and music impresario Brian Epstein, it was confirmed Thursday.

Epstein discovered The Beatles – indeed Paul McCartney referred to him as “the fifth Beatle” – and they signed a contract with him in 1961. He also worked with music artists such as Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla Black, and helped promote musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Cream and Pink Floyd.

The film is described as “an emotional, witty, heartfelt story of the joy of success and the terrifying pressures of unspeakable risk and unfulfilled desire,” in a statement from the producers, Trevor Beattie and Jeremy Chatterton at Trevor Beattie Films, and Kevin Proctor and Perry Trevers at StudioPOW.

Beattie said Akerlund had a “rock and roll heart,” and “understands music and the music industry.”

Akerlund has directed several feature films, including Netflix’s graphic-novel adaptation “Polar,...