The Beatles continue to dominate British culture six decades after their formation, with a surge of interest ahead of Sam Mendes' four upcoming biopics. Recent events include Paul McCartney's 20th solo album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, and the use of Come Together in England's World Cup squad announcement. A campaign in Felixstowe saw 70 people recreate the Sgt Pepper's album cover to promote a 'Beatles Day'.
Author Ian Leslie, who wrote John and Paul: A Love Story in Songs, described this as a new wave of Beatlemania reminiscent of the 1990s. He argued the band has transcended comparisons with the Rolling Stones, occupying a unique cultural plane akin to Shakespeare. Leslie attributed the renewed interest partly to Peter Jackson's documentary Get Back.
The Mendes biopics, each focusing on a different band member and due in 2028, are expected to be the biggest Beatles event yet. Casting includes Paul Mescal as McCartney, Harris Dickinson as Lennon, Joseph Quinn as Harrison, and Barry Keoghan as Starr. A BBC drama series, Hamburg Days, is also in production.
Cultural critic Simon Reynolds noted the Beatles' transformation from pop stars to psychedelic pioneers in under a decade, calling it 'the greatest adventure that ever happened in pop music'. He highlighted how they embodied a changing Britain that culturally eclipsed the United States.
Leslie predicted the biopics would create a cultural moment as big as 'Barbenheimer', saying: 'It'll be like a second wave of Beatlemania.'
