Will ‘Shogun’s’ Anna Sawai Play Yoko Ono in Sam Mendes’ Beatles Movie?
The casting news surrounding Sam Mendes’ upcoming four individual, yet interconnected Beatles movies about the members’ lives has sparked major buzz, with fans speculating about the cast. There are rumors about Babygirl actor Harris Dickinson playing John Lennon, Gladiator‘s Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, Saltburn‘s Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, and either The Fantastic Four: First Step‘s Joseph Quinn or Rocketman‘s Charlie Rowe as George Harrison.
Another potential game-changing role that’s supposedly cast is that of Yoko Ono, with Shōgun’s Anna Sawai supposedly stepping into the role.
Anna Sawai as Yoko Ono
After winning Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series for Shōgun in the recently concluded SAG Awards, Sawai spoke to Us Weekly about the speculations of her playing John Lennon’s wife. “I think a rumor is just a rumor. I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do, so I’m reading a lot of scripts. I’m also doing a lot of meetings, and I just want to make sure that whatever I’m choosing is the right thing.”
She added, “It might take time for me to find the right projects, but I am trying to be selective so that I can surprise everyone who’s going to watch it.”
Ringo Starr and Other Members’ Families Support the Film
Earlier last year, The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr tweeted his support about the Mendes’s movie.
He captioned the photo with the other members, saying, “Have you heard the news? Oh boy. We all support the Sam Mendes movie project. Yes, indeed. peace and love.”
There aren’t any details yet about the movies since there have been a lot of movies and documentaries that covered the lives of the members. But that the four movies will be interconnected and will include one band member’s point of view per movie.
Mendes will direct all four films. He will also produce it with Pippa Harris and Julie Pastor. Filming in London is scheduled in July 2025, per Elle.
According to Deadline, the four films are set for a 2027 release. The project is a collaboration between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sam Mendes’ Neal Street Productions.
